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Thursday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 fixtures delivered a mix of flair and suspense, with Spain showcasing their commanding form against Austria, while Portugal edged Croatia in a pulsating late-night encounter.

Here’s a detailed recap of all the action and key moments you might have missed from the day’s play.

After a shaky start in their opening match against Cape Verde, Spain — the reigning European champions — have found their rhythm. La Roja sealed their place in the last 16 in style, brushing aside Austria to extend their streak to four consecutive World Cup matches without conceding.

Mikel Oyarzabal once again proved his worth for Spain, netting twice on either side of Pedro Porro’s headed goal. Oyarzabal’s brace brought his tally to four goals in the tournament, placing him firmly in contention for the Golden Boot. His current run of form is remarkable — 23 goals and assists in his last 16 appearances for the national team.

The Real Sociedad skipper is now just one goal shy of equalling the record jointly held by Emilio Butragueño (1986) and David Villa (2010) for the most goals scored by a Spanish player in a single World Cup. With his knack for delivering in big games, few would bet against him matching that milestone. Spain’s next test comes in the form of a high-voltage Iberian Derby against Portugal.

Portugal’s clash with Croatia turned into a World Cup classic — packed with drama, disallowed goals, a stoppage-time decider, and a late VAR twist. Croatia went ahead early in the second half through the evergreen Ivan Perisic, only for Cristiano Ronaldo, four years his senior, to level the score from the penalty spot — marking his first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout fixture.

Between those two strikes, both Ivan Matanovic and Ronaldo had goals disallowed for offside, and later, Petar Sucic was denied after being flagged just as he latched onto a through ball and finished neatly.

Roberto Martinez’s decision to substitute Ronaldo late on raised eyebrows, but it proved decisive. Substitute Goncalo Ramos rose highest to head in Rafael Leao’s pinpoint cross deep into stoppage time, sealing Portugal’s dramatic win.

Yet the drama didn’t end there. Croatia believed they had equalised in the 13th minute of added time when Josko Gvardiol found the net, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside. Replays confirmed that Matanovic had grazed the ball before it reached an offside Mario Pasalic, nullifying the late strike.

Elsewhere, Switzerland continued their impressive World Cup journey, inspired by the breakout performances of 20-year-old midfielder Johan Manzambi. The youngster, who has been instrumental in his nation’s path to the knockouts, was once again in the spotlight against Algeria.

Manzambi’s electric solo run created the opener, as he surged forward to assist Breel Embolo. Dan Ndoye added a second to secure Switzerland’s spot in the last 16, extending what has become a breakout tournament for Manzambi. The Freiburg starlet, valued at €50 million, has reportedly attracted keen interest from Newcastle United, and competition for his signature is expected to intensify.