Spain face Austria in do-or-die knockout match

Austria tonight, win or go home

This is it. Spain face Austria in the World Cup round of 32 on Thursday at 21:00 (1) (2) (4). Your team has not won a knockout match at a World Cup since 2010 (1) (2) (4). The bracket sets up a round-of-16 clash with either Portugal or Croatia, who play Friday night (7) (8). No pressure.

The manager on Yamal: he is a boy

Lamine Yamal's confidence has drawn attention, and the Spain boss is not backing away from it. "You take things out of context… he is a boy," he said ahead of the Austria match (5). The plan remains unchanged: get the ball to Yamal.

Nyberg in the middle

Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg will handle Spain vs Austria (6). He is the official who famously sent off Cristiano Ronaldo earlier in his career (6). His team includes assistants Mahbod Beigi and Andreas Soderkvist, with Dahane Beida on VAR (6).

Fan reactions

The mood on Reddit is anxious. Fans are pointing to inconsistent officiating at this World Cup, with one thread citing Nico Williams's injury in the Uruguay match as evidence that lenient early-game reffing is getting players hurt. The round-of-32 thread on the City subreddit is tracking Rodri's involvement, Spain's midfield anchor is on their minds too. World Cup Thread, Thursday 2 July | The Inconsistent Reffing will get Players Hurt