Spain vs Austria Predictions

• Spain have 10 clean sheets in 13 games and are yet to concede a World Cup goal
• Austria drew a blank against Argentina and conceded six goals in the group stages
• Spain have won nine of their last 13 games

Spain can avoid Austria upset

Spain came into the World Cup as the pre tournament favourites but they’ve drifted after the group stages and now sit behind France and Argentina.

La Roja have perhaps underwhelmed in attack, but they look rock solid at the back and they look well placed to avoid a slip-up against Austria in the last 32.

Spain were held to a 0-0 draw by minnows Cape Verde in their tournament opener in a game where they managed 27 shots, had 74% possession and posted an xG of 2.1. Since then, they have brushed aside Saudi Arabia 4-0 and knocked Uruguay out with a 1-0 win.

Austria unlikely to trouble Spanish defence

Austria’s only World Cup win has come against Jordan and they need a last gasp leveller to avoid defeat against Algeria in their last game. Their hardest test so far has been a clash with defending champions Argentina, where they lost 2-0 and recorded just one shot on target.

Spain haven’t conceded a World Cup goal and their impressive defensive record stretches back to September of last year with 10 clean sheets in their last 13 games, conceding just two goals in total across their six qualifiers.

Austria were unable to offer much in attack against Argentina and defensively Luis de la Fuente’s side are perhaps stronger than the defending champions, so a Spain win to nil looks the best angle for our main bet.

A 3-0 win for Spain is the correct score pick as they have enough quality to beat Das Team with a bit of room to spare, potentially with a late goal to put the tie to bed.

Lamine Yamal has just one goal to his name in North America but he is capable of better than we’ve seen so far at the World Cup. Yamal has seen his game time limited after missing the end of the domestic season through injury but should feature heavily from now on and he looks the standout pick for an anytime goal.

The winner of this tie will face either Portugal or Croatia in the last 16.