The Round of 32 continued with three more teams booking their places in the Round of 16, including Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland.
Spain had little trouble dispatching Austria, cruising to a 3-0 victory behind another outstanding performance from Mikel Oyarzabal. The Spanish forward scored twice to bring his tournament total to four goals, while Pedro Porro also found the back of the net. Since its surprising scoreless draw against Cape Verde, Spain has rebounded in dominant fashion, outscoring opponents 8-0 over its last four matches.
Portugal and Croatia delivered another dramatic knockout-stage showdown. Ivan Perišić gave Croatia the lead early in the second half before Cristiano Ronaldo thought he had equalized, only to see the goal waved off for offside. Ronaldo eventually leveled the match from the penalty spot, and Gonçalo Ramos delivered the decisive blow with a stoppage-time winner to send Portugal into the Round of 16.
Switzerland rounded out the day with a 2-0 victory over Algeria. Although the match was statistically even, the Swiss created the more dangerous scoring opportunities. Breel Embolo continued his strong World Cup campaign by contributing his fourth goal involvement of the tournament as Switzerland comfortably advanced.
The Round of 32 concludes today with three final matchups.
Australia opens the day against Egypt at 2 p.m. before Lionel Messi and defending champion Argentina take on tournament Cinderella Cape Verde at 6 p.m. The final Round of 32 matchup features Colombia and Ghana in what promises to be a physical battle at 9:30 p.m.
MyFM Sports Director Dylan Potemri will continue bringing listeners daily World Cup Updates throughout the tournament, featuring match recaps, major storylines, and previews of upcoming matches.
Fans looking to experience the World Cup atmosphere locally can visit official MetroWest fan zones, viewing parties, and special events happening throughout the region. For schedules, locations, and additional information, visit MetroWestVisitors.org.
