Spain confident but not complacent ahead of Austria clash: De la Fuente

Los Angeles, July 2 (IANS) Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente said his team is growing in confidence ahead of their FIFA World Cup round-of-32 match against Austria, while warning that there is no room for complacency in knockout football.

Spain will face Austria in Los Angeles on Thursday after finishing top of Group H, while Austria advanced as Group J runners-up.

“The team knows where it is and feels very confident,” De la Fuente told a pre-match press conference, as quoted by Xinhua. “When I speak about confidence, I mean self-belief, not arrogance. The players know who they are, how they feel and how they are playing.”

De la Fuente said Spain had improved as the tournament progressed and were well-prepared for the demands of the knockout stage. “We have the ability and the tools to face Austria, but we still have to prove it on the pitch,” he said.

The Spain coach added that he was expecting a physical contest against an Austria side known for high pressing, intensity and man-to-man defending.

“They are a very aggressive and decisive team,” he said. “They press high and look for individual duels, so we expect a lot of battles in both attack and defense.”

De la Fuente said Spain would need to move the ball more accurately, particularly if Austria defend with a compact shape near their own penalty area.

“The key word is precision, especially in tight spaces,” he said. “In previous matches we sometimes lacked that accuracy, and our opponents are demanding more and more from us.”

Spain have enjoyed long spells of possession during the tournament, but their efficiency in the final third has occasionally come under scrutiny. De la Fuente said the team must continue improving while remaining faithful to its style.

“We are very demanding of ourselves,” he said. “There is no perfect world in football. You can have your own tactics and strategy, but the opponent has theirs as well. You have to control the important moments of the match.”

De la Fuente confirmed that Nico Williams would miss the Austria match because of physical discomfort, but added that the winger could return for the round of 16 if Spain advance.

Yeremy Pino has avoided a fracture after suffering an injury scare in the previous match, while Lamine Yamal is fit and eager to play. De la Fuente, however, declined to confirm whether the teenager would start or play the full 90 minutes.

Spain has also practiced penalties, with the possibility that the knockout tie could be decided in a shootout.

“Taking a penalty is not random,” De la Fuente said. “There are specialists, just as there are for free kicks and corners, but the final list will depend on who is still on the pitch at the end of the match.”

Spain is seeking its World Cup knockout victory since winning the tournament in South Africa in 2010. They were eliminated in the group stage in 2014 and lost on penalties in the round of 16 in both 2018 and 2022.

“This team is used to breaking records,” De la Fuente said. “Perhaps this will be the squad that ends that run. For now, our only focus is winning tomorrow’s match.”

–IANS

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