Spain

Brazil v Spain Betting Preview
What neutral doesn’t want to see Spain take on Brazil? It is the matchup that most were expecting to happen, before a ball was kicked in anger for the 2013 edition. Spain, the current World champions get the chance to claim the only big scalp they haven’t claimed in world football in recent years, that of Brazil. Victory would give Spain their first ever Confederations Cup title, for Brazil, the hosts, they are looking for an historic third title in a row. Spain have a proven winning mentality, can Brazil snap them at the Maracana?

Brazil v Spain Betting Odds at online bookmaker Paddy Power
Brazil 6/4, Spain 7/4, Draw 23/10

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Brazil v Spain Recommended Bet:
It is the dream final that just about all neutrals want to see, and both sides will be keen to test themselves against the other. But from the outset, the ball may just be in Brazil’s court on this one. They not only have home advantage, no injury concerns and a big support behind them, but they also will have had an extra day’s rest before playing the final. That could be a huge factor in the heat of Brazil. The young Brazilian side is heading into the right direction and in a year’s time at the 2014 World Cup, could be a major force. After watching the side stumble to a disappointing draw earlier in the year against England, Brazil have been definitely trending upward under coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Leading the young Brazil forward is Neymar, the jewel in the South American nations’ crown, but his strike partners Hulk and Fred are struggling to live up to his standards.

So Brazil could be better yet, but still, as a unit, Brazil have scored 22 goals in their last eight matches. They have scored at least twice in each of their last eight matches as well. Judging from what we have seen of them at the 2013 Confederations Cup, they are not the finished product. Their defence needs some work and they aren’t that strong in the middle of the park. Their strength is powering forward and putting opponents under pressure at the back. They attack at pace and in big numbers. Should they topple Spain in the final on Sunday then they will become the first nation ever to win the Confederations Cup three times in a row. They are currently on a streak of having won 11 of their last 12 matches in the tournament. A late winner against Uruguay booked their place in the final. With a penchant for late goals, will the advantages that they have translate into claiming a big Spanish scalp?

Spain were pushed all the way by Italy the second semi final. Italy were tactically brilliant and exposed Spain down the flanks and had some big chances. But still, on the balance in whole, no matter how hard Italy pushed, Spain didn’t look like cracking. The longer the game went on, the stronger the Spaniards look. They have to be confidence, currently riding a 29 competitive match unbeaten streak, and the biggest scalp they haven’t claimed in their era of dominance has been that of the Selecao. The Spaniards looked drained in the heat following extra time in their penalty shootout win against Italy. While Italy flexed their tactical muscle, Spain adapted brilliantly to situations thrown at them in the semi. So will Spain’s resolve and winning mentality get them the only international title they haven’t won in their history? The last time that Spain lost an international match was back at the 2010 World Cup, going down against Switzerland in their opening group fixture.

Spain are likely to have the edge in the midfield area, while Brazil’s full backs could really threaten the European nation down the flanks. Spain have the better defence (having not conceded in their last knockout matches), but Brazil have the bigger firepower.  It should be a fascinating match in a fantastic atmosphere at the Maracana. Worth backing Spain at 7/4 with online betting site Paddy Power

In the Spain v Brazil head to head, it is Brazil who hold a 4-2 lead from eight meetings. They have only met once in the last twenty three years though, that being back in 1999 with a goalless friendly. Brazil haven’t lost a competitive home match since 1975.

Stat Attack
Brazil have won four of eight previous matches against Spain (W4, d2, L2)
Spain are unbeaten in their last 29 competitive matches
Spain haven’t conceded a goal in their last eight knockout matches
Brazil have scored at least two goals in each of their last eight matches
Spain have won their last three penalty shoot outs, scoring 15 of 17 attempts

Spain v Italy Betting Preview
An all-European semi final to complement the first semi final of the 2013 Confederations Cup which will be between Brazil and Uruguay on Wednesday. Spain v Italy kicks off on Thursday, and it is the reigning World and European champions who are strong favourites to take this meeting after progressing to the knockouts without too many scares. However, Italy may be buoyed after their performance against Brazil, which they lost but had the host nation rattled over the ninety minutes. But their chances have been hit with the loss of the in-form Mario Balotelli to injury.

Spain v Italy Betting Odds at online bookmaker Bet Victor
Spain 4/11, Draw 7/2, Italy 7/1

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Spain v Italy Recommended Bet:
Can anyone stop Spain at the moment on their long unbeaten streak? Even host nation Brazil themselves may struggle against Spain if they meet in the final. Spain have gotten the job done professionally and efficiently so far in getting to the knockout stage, and you always get the feeling that there is even more to come. They opened up the 2013 Confederations Cup with a 2-1 win over Uruguay, before hitting Tahiti for ten thanks to heavy input from Fernando Torres and David Villa. That left them to face the challenge of Nigeria in their final group match, ending just a point to secure top spot. They got all three as it happened, taking a 3-0 victory. However, the African side did have some chances to get Spain rattled, but some poor finishing again hurt the Super Eagles. However, there is always an air of confidence that Spain will find a goal from somewhere, that they can find another gear if they have to.

Their next test now will come against Italy, who they beat in the final of Euro 2012 of course, convincingly too, by a 4-0 scoreline. Are we all being set up for a massive Spain v Brazil clash in the final here? Spain just have great options, plenty of depth which they can call upon, and who integrate into the side seamlessly, so that they don’t miss a bit. Fernando Torres has looked confident in front of goal for them, and actually without Xabi Alonso, they have looked a bit more dynamic and keen to get forward from the middle of the pitch as well. Their possession game is there, but they will be challenged by Italy. Just as Spain like to annoy opponents by a high pressing game, Italy do the same thing. The loss of lone striker Balotelli could be costly to them though. Especially if they can’t get Andrea Pirlo back in the middle of the pitch, because they missed the old master against Brazil.  Italy though can take a lot of heart from their performance against Brazil, because they could have tied the match up at 3-3, being stopped by the crossbar only, before the host nation killed the game off to make it 4-2.

Still, Cesare Prandelli’s men never stopped pushing and did find some control in the middle of the park as well. Are Spain better in the midfield area than Brazil though? Yes, by far, so Italy may need to adapt. Prandelli has already said that he needs his side to get more compact and that the absence of lone striker Balotelli may force a tactical change. Italy are good on the break, they can get forward at pace, but really need the precision of Pirlo, who makes a huge difference to their balance. Even with the positives that Italy have produced, if not defensively, but going forward, all betting still has to lean towards Spain at the end of the day. This is the business end of a tournament and that is usually when they get even better.

The Spain v Italy head to head is evenly split at eight wins apiece from 27 encounters. They met twice last year at Euro 2012, producing a 1-1 draw in the group stage and then the Spaniards running out 4-0 winners when they met in the final again. In actual competitive tournament matches, Italy have won three of eight meetings at the European Championships and World Cup. Half of those eight matches ended in draws though, which means that Italy have the upper hand 3-2 in tournament matches.

Spain v Nigeria Betting Preview
From the very start, Vicente del Bosque’s world champions were expected to go out and win Group B of the Confederations Cup. They are well on their way with two wins from two and a plus eleven goal difference in their favour. As for Nigeria, they go in second place on Sunday, but realistically need to pull out a win over Spain to get through. That is because they are on level points with Uruguay who are expected to run riot over Tahiti in their final match. The African representatives really have to push for a major upset here.

Spain v Nigeria Betting Odds at online bookmaker Bet Victor
Spain 2/9, Draw 19/4, Nigeria 11/1

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There is some insurance to take on all Confederations Cup betting at online betting site Bet Victor. Their promotion comes in the form of a Red Card Refund. If any player is shown a red card in a Confederations Cup match, then the bookie will refund all losing Correct Score, First Goalscorer, last Goalscorer, Scorecast and Half Time/Full Time bets on that particular match up a maximum of £25. Nigeria have to come out and have a go at winning this one, so it should be a high intensity match. There is up to a free £25 bet available for new customers registering an account with online betting site Bet Victor, as the bookie will match the value of your first settled bet on an account.

Spain v Nigeria Recommended Bet:
It was largely as second string Spanish side which hammered Tahiti 10-0 to follow up their opening win over Uruguay. Technically all four sides in the Group can still qualify but Spain do have that massive goal difference advantage. The only way that they are not going to get through is if they lose by four goals or more, which is just so highly unlikely. So Spain are likely to run out winners of Group A really, and keep everything as it was expected to be. Spain were excellent in their opening match against Uruguay, playing some beautifully fluent football and professionally seeing off the challenge of what could have been a tough threat from the South Americans. Spain are just going to keep the ball and knock it around, and pick their passes. The through-balls behind defences that they produce are simply sublime. It is hard for any side to match up with them, especially when they slip into their top, fluent gear. They will be calling on the services of likes of Andres Iniesta, Iker Casillas and co who they rested for the Tahiti match.

It is hard to see Spain not getting on the scoresheet here and they will probably start without David Villa and Fernando Torres who scored seven goals between them against Tahiti. Roberto Soldado, who started and scored against Uruguay will probably get the nod. It is a run of 27 international matches now for Spain without suffering a defeat. Impressive. Everything about them is. The Super Eagles had their own long unbeaten run snapped when they lost their second Confederations Cup match against Uruguay. Nigeria lost the game 2-1 despite a spirited display and that was their first ever defeat in the history of the tournament. They finished third at the 2005 Confederations Cup, losing the runner up match on a penalty shoot out against Mexico.

Nigeria really somehow need to find a way to beat the World Champions if they want their tournament to continue. They missed the boat badly against Uruguay, because the South Americans were there for the taking. The Super Eagles actually played some neat stuff, knocking the ball around with confidence against Uruguay but they lacked a final punch. So their unbeaten streak, which had lasted for over a year, has ended and now a second defeat may not be far behind. They may have to go without striker Nnamdi Odaumadi for this one as well who was injured against Uruguay. The odds really aren’t stacking up that well for the Africa Cup of Nations champions in this one. They haven’t beaten a European side since back in 2009 when they beat France in an international friendly.

Spain will be heavily backed in this one to get the job done. They have the experience and the class to make it happen. They can play at a different level and it could be worth looking at a Spain/Spain Half Time/Full Time bet for an extra bit of value at a price of 3/4 with online bookmaker Bet Victor.

Form
Spain DWWWWW, Nigeria DDWDWL

In the Spain v Nigeria head to head, there has only been one previous meeting. That actually went in favour of the African side, and was a costly defeat for Spain as it helped to get them knocked them out of the 1998 World Cup group stage.

 

Spain v Uruguay Betting Preview
The reigning European and world champions Spain, will start their quest to get their hands on the Confederations Cup for the first time ever, when they take on Uruguay on Sunday. The two have already met during 2013, with Spain taking a 3-1 victory back in a friendly in February. The South Americans have been struggling badly to find consistency and form and they have lost their way since winning the 2011 Copa America, a win which saw them qualify for this tournament. La Celeste have talent in their squad, but can they raise their game to face the Spaniards?

Spain v Uruguay Betting Odds at online bookmaker Bet365
Spain 4/7, Draw 14/5, Uruguay 5/1

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Spain v Uruguay Recommended Bet:
It was four years ago at the 2009 Confederations Cup that Spain had a long unbeaten run snapped. They were toppled against the odds by the USA in the semi finals, ending the Spaniard’s 35 match unbeaten streak. That was after winning all of their group games in the Confederations Cup and not conceding a goal. This time around they head to the competition on a 25 match unbeaten streak and the sign of Spain’s dominance in world football doesn’t look close to ending. Nineteen of the squad that they are taking with them were part of their title winning side at Euro 2012. Eighteen of their squad were at the 2010 World Cup. They are tremendously talented and their style will see them dominate matches through possession. The only aspect missing is perhaps a world class number nine goalscorer.

In order to get around this, coach Vicente del Bosque played with the false number nine at Euro 2012, and can’t decide what the best option between Cesc Fabregas, Roberto Soldado, Fernando Torres and David Villa. They’ll be envious of the duo of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani that Uruguay can field. The Spaniards played their way into control of their World Cup 2014 qualification group ahead of France, so with them likely to be back in Brazil next summer, this is going to be superb preparation. This is likely to be the group decider, with only Tahiti and Nigeria to come. This is only Spain’s second attempt at the Confederations Cup and the fluidity and style should be them to go far. They’ll likely get close to fulfilling their role as joint favourites. On the other side of the coin, Uruguay are struggling to find their identity, in a bit of a transition period between new and old.

La Celeste looked a world class side when they went deep into the 2010 World Cup and then took the 2011 Copa America title. It has been downhill since then for them. The squad has pretty much been aging at the same time, and with what seemed to be a youthful set up full of promise failing to deliver at the 2012 London Olympics, La Celeste are in an odd spot. Coach Oscar Tabarez has a brilliant tactical mind, but can’t seem to get the best out of his options at the moment. There was promise in a great display in defeat against Spain earlier in the year, but as they are struggling to reach the 2014 World Cup in qualification, they could use some confidence from a good run at the Confederations Cup. If their forwards fire then they may give themselves a platform. The overall form just isn’t there though.

In the Spain v Uruguay head to head, the South American nation have never recorded a victory against the Spaniards. The record stands at five draws and four wins for Spain. The friendly on Doha back in February was their most recent victory. In the nine previous meetings, Spain have scored 14 goals to Uruguay’s seven.

Form
Spain DWWDWW, Uruguay LWLDLW

Spain v Ireland Betting Preview
Ireland are in New York for an international friendly on Tuesday night (kick off 1am GMT Wednesday morning). Ireland take on the reigning European and World Champions, as part of the Spaniards’ preparations ahead of the FIFA Confederations Cup. For Ireland, this friendly will see coach Giovanni Trapattoni get a look at some squad players following a host of withdrawals from his squad.

Spain v Ireland Betting Odds at online bookmaker Bet365
Spain 2/7, Draw 15/4, Republic of Ireland 12/1

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Spain v Ireland Recommended Bet:
The last time that Ireland ran into Spain, they were on the end of a heavy 4-0 drubbing in Gdansk at the 2012 European Championships. The Irish have a lengthy list of absentees, from John O’Shea, Wes Hoolahan, to Richard Dunne, Shane Long and more. So it will be an under strength side for this end of season friendly, being played at the Yankee Stadium in New York. Seven changes in all have been made by Trapattoni from the starting line up which he field against the Faroe Islands in Dublin on Friday night. The Irish won that 2014 World Cup qualifier 3-0, with Robbie Keane booking his place in history, by becoming the nation’s most capped player of all time. Keane netted a hattrick in the qualifier and will captain the side.

It was an important win for Ireland, as it kept them in the hunt for a second place finish in Group C behind Germany, so the intensity will probably drop for this one. The Irish are unlikely to get much out of this fixture, but Derby midfielder Jeff Hendrick gets a debut in a young midfield. This will be Ireland’s fourth game since the season finished, and to lump a long trip to America on top of that, they may struggle to get a foothold against the class of Spain. But Ireland are on a good unbeaten streak at the moment and shouldn’t be short of squad confidence.

Spain will probably be taking this a little more seriously as they hone their preparations for the FIFA Confederations Cup. The Spaniards take on Nigeria, Tahiti and Uruguay in their group out in Brazil, in a battle between continental champions. Spain scored a 2-1 win over Haiti in a recently friendly, looking in control and really not even bothering to play much in the second half, which helped a spirited fight from the Haitians. Spain have such a quality squad and the fight for places is on ahead of the Confederations Cup. The biggest jostling for a starting shirt is up front, between Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres, Roberto Soldado and David Villa. Spain go as red hot favourites for the win.

The two nations have faced off in ten friendly internationals before, with Spain winning five, and Ireland two. The last friendly produced a 0-0 draw, all the way back in 1985. Overall, the record between the two, including competitive matches stands at 14 wins for the Spanish and 4 for the Irish from 25 meetings.

The Spaniards have goals in them, and with withdrawals from the squad, and not really any break for the Irish, it is probably worth taking a comfortable Over 2.5 Goals for odds of 1/2 at online bookmaker Bet365.

Form
Ireland WDDDWW, Spain DWWDWW

Spain v Uruguay is a great looking match which could produce some high entertainment. Spain, the reigning European and World Champions are in their usual superb form, taking five wins and one draw away from their last six matches. The draw came in a great match against France in their World Cup 2014 qualification group. Other than that it has been business as usual for Vicente del Bosque’s men. They head out to Doha for this friendly and the key area of the match will again be in the midfield area. That is where Spain dominate by keeping the ball and because of that, they don’t concede very much. In six matches including a 2-1 win over Puerto Rico in August of 2012, Spain have conceded just three goals and have scored 18 of their own. Their last match was back in November of 2012 which ended in a 5-1 win over Panama.

In their 2014 World Cup qualifying group, Spain have averaged two goals per game and taken two wins and that draw against France away from their start. So no real sign of them slowing their world domination. This will be an interesting match against Uruguay, who have some world class forward talent at their disposal. However, they are not as powerful as they were a couple of years ago at the 2010 World Cup and when they won the 2011 Copa America. They are well below that. Indeed,the Uruguayans have won just one of their last six international matches, losing half of them. Their demise in form has left them in a real scrap to try and make it to Brazil 2014 in the tough South American zone. Uruguay though are unbeaten in their last eight matches against European opposition, and their last match was a 3-1 win over Poland back in November of last year. Despite their forward talent, they strangely are struggling badly for goals with just five in their last six.

It should be another win for Spain who won the last meeting between the two back in August of 2005. Prior to that they had met just once, that being at the 1990 World Cup, a game which ended in a 0-0 draw. Uruguay are below their best and Spain are well, just Spain.

Spain v Uruguay Betting Odds at online bookmaker Bet365
Spain 8/13, Draw 11/4, Uruguay 9/2

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The UEFA U21 Champions need to pull out a result in Spain v Honduras betting. The Spaniards suffered the first shock of the London 2012 Olympic football tournament as they were beaten by Japan. Despite having all three of their over-age players starting the match, the Spaniards just could not get the breakthrough that they wanted. Spain started comfortably enough in the match, controlling possession as is their want. But they really just didn’t trouble the Japanese keeper enough, simply because there wasn’t enough pace and conviction in getting beyond Japan’s back line. This was a criticism levelled at the national side during Euro 2012, plenty of possession with not enough end product, and it is what cost them dearly in this opening fixture at the Olympics.

This is because despite of their dominance in possession against Japan, it was the Japanese who managed to create more chances. That is because the Asian side just took a more direct and quicker route to goal and it paid off for them. Grabbing their goal halfway through the first half, it allowed Japan to simply keep their shape in the midfield and at the back, shutting down the space that Spain were looking for to play in. So now Spain’s position in the Olympic tournament is in some jeopardy. If they lose against Honduras and Japan beat Morocco then it will be goodbye Spain. Is it likely to come to that? Probably not, but Spain need a win, because a draw would still leave them in a precarious position in the group, which would be worse if Morocco beat Japan. So a win for Spain and a win for Japan would suit the Spaniards on Sunday.

Honduras are not going to be as big of a challenge for Spain as Japan were. They don’t look as organised at the back. The Central Americans fought back from a opening goal from the north African side, to take the lead 2-1 halfway through the second half. But they blew that lead a couple of minutes later. Then, when Morocco went down to ten minute with twenty minutes to go, Honduras couldn’t find a break through. The point keeps Honduras in things though, and that will help Spain. Honduras’s easiest match has gone, and so they need a certain degree of positivity in order to progress. For Spain’s stumble, it is something which they can recover from and shouldn’t written off just yet.

Spain v Honduras Betting Odds at online bookmaker Bet365
Spain 2/7, Draw 4/1, Honduras 10/1

Spain v Honduras Prediction: No need to hit the panic button yet. Spain need to simply execute and be sharper in getting the ball forward. They know their style, they know their strengths and the quality they have should be enough to pull through this match with the win. Chelsea’s Juan Mata looked one of the biggest threat in the first match and is 5/1 in the First Goalscorer market at online bookmaker Bet365.

Spain v Japan Olympic football betting should see the Europeans get their first win under their belt. Spain’s full international side of course have had a tremendous four years of glory, and the Olympic Games will give us a full insight into the future of Spanish football. It all looks pretty good for them actually as they won the UEFA Under 21 Championship last year and they have already picked up the Under 19 title this year as well. So even the Spanish youngster have been dominant and that is what a lot of the London 2012 Olympic Football tournament will have to try and live with.

So Spain do have a great crop of young players in their ranks and riding on the back of national pride at Euro 2012 this year, some of that young talent was on show there like Jordi Alba. Spain’s three overage players for the Olympic Games are Chelsea’s Juan Mata, Javi Martinez and striker Adrian Lopez. Granted they could have selected the likes of Fernando Torres, Iniesta or Xavi as their overage players, but after a long haul at the European Championships, Spain opted not to go for their big senior players, but the three named were in the Spain squad at the Euro’s and this will be a good experience for them to push on further

Spain should have a tremendous midfield presence, especially with Ander Herrera who could be the next Xavi. With the experience of Javi Martinez in the centre alongside him, then Spain’s youth, just as the full international side does, should keep the ball and dictate a lot of the play. What you are more likely to see though, is perhaps a bit more cut and thrust from Spain’s Olympic squad, simply because of their youth. So it is again Japan who Spain start in their group. Also in Group D along with them are Honduras and Morocco. So there may not be too much to trouble the Spaniards, but matches have to be won of course.

Asia set up a whole Olympic Qualifying tournament to sort out who would represent the AFC at London 2012. Japan, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea all won their qualification groups to make it through to the Games. Japan ran up five wins out of six in qualification to make it to London and they have been busy this year in action.

Japan’s under 23 side took part in the 2012 Toulon Tournament, beating the Netherlands, but losing to Turkey and Egypt. They then picked up a draw against New Zealand in Tokyo in the Kirin Challenge Cup and the Blue Samurai have recorded back to back wins in the pre-Olympic friendly matches. They beat Belarus and then Mexico, which could be an important pointer, because Mexico aren’t a bad to do well at the Olympics. Japan probably have the best chance of following Spain through to the knock-out stages from this group. Tough opener for them and they would be happy with a draw to build on.

Spain v Japan Olympic Football betting odds at online bookmaker Bet365
Spain 4.11, Draw 7/2, Japan 8/1

Spain v Japan Betting Prediction: Well, the class that the Spanish youngsters have already displayed should get them far at London 2012. Japan could work hard, but Spain will get their foot on the ball enough and create enough chances to win this one. You imagine that it would ultimately turn out a comfortable win. Spain to win by a 2 Goal Winning Margin is priced 3/1 at online bookmaker Bet365.

 

Scotland V Spain

Tuesday, 12th October – 20:00 GMT
UEFA EURO 2012 Qualifier: Group I
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD1

 

Scotland

Group I Position: 2nd
Group I Form: DWL

Scotland’s encounter with European and World champions Spain is one of huge excitement for the strong Scottish contingency inside Hampden Park, but the players must treat Tuesday’s crucial game with the utmost respect as further lost ground on their goal to reach the finals in Poland & Indiaraine in 2012 could prove decisive.

After opening with a 0-0 draw in Lithuania before nervously edging past Liechtenstein at home, Scotland’s reign as Group I leaders came to an abrupt and pitiful end last Friday with defeat in Prague against the Czech Republic. While the 1-0 scoreline may have depicted a close run thing, the Czech’s were the ones who enjoyed the main of possession and the bulk of the decent openings. Manager Craig Levein opted for a conservative formation and my word did he get a limited display from his side, as Scotland spent the majority of the game on the back-foot.

It’s clear that Craig Levein’s motto as Scotland manager is ‘avoid defeat at all costs’ even if it puts the reputation of Scottish football on the line. The travelling fans were disgusted with what they seen, while fans back home were livid with the negativity they had just witnessed on the field from their players, players representing a country so passionate about their national football team. Will this stinging backlash result in Craig Levin binning his ‘wimpish’ mindset and instead opting for some rare aggression? Scotland certainly need something different to spice things up as its clear playing for just the point, in games that are certainly winnable, won’t get you to major finals.

To add insult to injury, Scotland’s dismal defeat out in Prague came at a price. Gary Caldwell, Steven Whittaker, Alan Hutton and Graham Dorrans all picked up knocks on Friday and are facing a race against time to be fit for Tuesday’s massive game. You could almost say losing is not an option for Scotland, if anything just to avoid dropping into a poor slump of form, but Levein may well find raising the morale of his troops in time for Tuesday’s excruciatingly tough fixture with the newly crowned champions maybe tougher than first though.

 

Spain

Group I Position: 1st
Group I Form: WW

Sentences don’t come more daunting nor intimidating these days than ‘the Spanish are in town’ and on Tuesday La Fura Roja will bring with them a 100% record, seven goals in just two matches and a wealth of attacking options and quality which will put Scotland’s mean and lean defence well and truly to the test at a packed out Hampden Park, where the hosts have a tendency for faltering in home qualifiers against the highest seeded team in their group: Netherlands 1-0 (Sept 09 – WCQ) & Italy 2-1 (Nov 07 – ECQ).

There is no doubt whatsoever that this current crop of Spanish stars will go down in football history as being one of the most successful sides ever, but more than that folk will look back and remember a time when the beautiful game was embraced by those who know just how the game should be treated. No national team currently on the scene can retain possession as well as the Spanish, that should be a fact, while I don’t think even the likes of Brazil, Argentina nor the Germans can boast as much depth than Spain do. And with the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres and Xavi all missing with injuries, among others, it’s just as well coach Vicente Del Bosque has that depth to smother over the cracks.

On Friday, crack were appearing down the Spanish seam as little old Lithuania frustrated the newly crowned World champions with their park the bus strategy; something Scotland have done a great deal of recently. It would appear the absence of two influential midfielder schemers, Cesc Fabregas & Xavi, is having more of a negative impact than initially expected. Their saviour that night, in a game where Lithuania drew level just after the break to make the score 1-1, was the muscular figure of Fernando Llorente who scored twice in the second half to finally sink the Lithuanians. The Athletico Bilbao forward will start up front once again on Tuesday up against 40 year-old David Weir and the under conditioned Gary Caldwell. Lick your lips and help yourself time one might imagine for Mr Llorente.

As mentioned, Del Bosque is without several high profile players but those who have been drafted in as direct starting XI replacements have done a good enough job up till now. However, this is their biggest test thus far, not that we actually reckon its much of a test, and it will be interesting to see how the Spanish cope with the hostile and partisan atmosphere for starters, while getting to grips with a defence minded Scotland side could pose problems as unlocking well organised defences has become a bit of a problem for Spain, although they generally find the key at some stage in proceedings. Fernando Torres, Xavi, Cesc Fabregas, Jesus Navas and Pedro all out injured, so expect a starting XI that’s a little different from what you may have seen in South Africa.

 

Match Prediction: Spain to WIN – 1.40 WilliamHill

While they weren’t at their scintillating best on Friday, Spain are still hot favourites to teach Scotland a lesson in how football should actually be played and if the Spanish seize the initiative early on then this could turn nasty, as no team is better equipped to exploit gaps and holes at the back than Spain.

As per usual, Spain will look to get a hold of the match in midfield by retaining possession for as long as possible whilst making the Scotland defence work and sweat for 90 minutes. However, what I like about this Spanish set up is that when matters aren’t quite going their way and the Scots appear to have settled, they have that long ball option in to Fernando Llorenta, who is a beast in the air and should be no match for old-timer David Weir. Either way, we’re finding it extremely difficult to envisage Spain not unlocking a rusty Scotland defence at some stage, while Scotland are lacking any sort of guile of craft in their forward play to suggest they even have a goal in them.

 

Over/Under: Under 2.5 Goals – 1.91 WilliamHill

With Scotland manager Craig Levein likely to set up shop early on in order to try and absorb some early, sustained Spanish pressure, this could turn into a rather drab contest, with Spain keeping possession for long periods, going back and forth before having a pop every five minutes or so. For this to be an open and entertaining affair it needs Scotland to grow some balls and play some actual football instead of sitting and waiting for the right time to counter. That doesn’t look at all likely to happen so preference just has to be for a low scoring affair.

 

First Goalscorer: Fernando Llorente – 5.30 Unibet

The powerful, muscular figure of Fernando Llorente is enough to give any defence the jitters, but David Weir, at 40 years-of-age, must be dreading the next 90 minutes although the Rangers centre-half does at least have a good 10 years of experience on the Bilbao hitman. Even so, the latter is in great form, has been for a while now, and with Fernando Torres out of the picture, Llorente has a chance to really lay down a marker, something he’s already achieved to some degree with his two-goal haul against Lithuania last time out. Will Spain’s focal point in attack maintain his scoring form?

 

Match Odds:

Scotland – 10.50 bWin
Draw – 4.80 totesport
Spain – 1.40 WilliamHill

 

Holland V Spain

Sunday, 11th July – 19:30 GMT
Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg
FINAL

 

A whole month has passed, 63 matches will have been played by the time match day hits our screen but just 90 minutes, that is unless we’re treated to an exciting extra-time period and maybe penalties, stands between these two sides and FIFA World Cup glory. It’s a final, where absolutely anything can and probably will happen. However, the one thing we all know is that on Sunday an eighth world champion will be crowned at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, thus not only ending an 80 year drought for both parties but one of these two potential champions will become the first nation to lift the FIFA World Cup Trophy aloft on African soil, as well as claiming sole rights to being the first European country to win the competition outside of their own continent. So you could say there’s plenty of records up for grabs ahead of Sunday’s epic encounter, although the only thought racing through the minds of both squads will be getting their hands on the prestigious trophy.

So who will reign supreme on Sunday? Will it be the Dutch, who’ve been beaten finalists on two previous occasions? Or a Spanish side on the verge of crowning their EURO 2008 success with a sensational double? You’ll be made to miss the action, even madder not to have a punt on a match which only blesses our screens once every four years.

 

 

Holland

The Dutch will be praying it’s third time lucky as they meet the current Europeans champions in Jo’burg this Sunday, as two previously failed final attempts back in 1974 & 1978 will only be lamented should Holland once again fall at the final hurdle. Oranje’s claim to fame in international football is being the best footballing nation never to have won football’s biggest prize, but on Saturday they’ll have an almost once in a lifetime opportunity to go that extra mile that those gone before them previously could not.

If we’re honest, we aren’t entirely sure what to make of Holland up till this point. A lot like their final opponents in fairness, the Dutch have been able to grind out results despite not being at their free-flowing best. The vital difference being Holland boast six in comparison to Spain’s five, while the scalp of Brazil in the quarter’s will have given every single player the belief that 2010 really could be their year. It was also an indication that the Dutch were no longer cowards when it came to the crunch encounters, that they now possess the courage needed to overhaul the big teams, those who would have previously sent them packing. There has been that unfamiliar consistency from the Dutch, that desire to get things done no matter what the price or how they came across. It’s been a win at all cost exercise so far and Holland have shown no sign of letting up. The proof is in the pudding, with five of Holland’s six victories in South Africa coming by a one goal margin.

Holland had to overcome a stern and resilient Uruguay in order to make the final, but coach Bert Van Marwijk was without two hugely important players that day in Nigel De Jong and Gregory Van Der Wiel and will gladly welcome both straight back into the starting eleven for Sunday’s highly anticipated clash with Spain. Without them, with Boulahrouz and Stijn Schaars, there wasn’t that same ebb-and-flow about Holland and there was a stage in their semi-final with Uruguay that you felt a breakthrough was perhaps beyond them. We highlighted Holland to lift the trophy pre-tournament mainly because they had half-a-dozen match winners in their squad, players which could burst into life and change the entire complex of a game within the blink of an eye. Against Uruguay, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben came to the fore with two quick-fire  but yet killer goals midway through the second half, and despite our earlier hesitancy and doubt, it was their brilliance which once again convinced us that they do have what it takes to reign victorious in Sunday’s final.

We’ve talked about their big names stepping up when needed; Sneijder doing so against both Brazil and Uruguay, while it was Robben who came up with the goods against Slovakia in the Round of 16, but on Sunday, against a side many believe are the best in the world regardless of what the FIFA rankings read, in Spain, Holland will need a flawless effort from every single player, subs included. The key factor will be how Holland set up when not in possession, which is likely to be a lot of the time. So much patience is required and it’s perhaps one characteristic we aren’t necessarily sure they have. Their defence will also need to put in the shift of their life’s, something else we aren’t too sure about with the Dutch. However, this team has risen above each obstacle presented to them and raised them game to another level when needed. There may be areas we Holland aren’t the strongest, but when you have players like Robin Van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, you’ll know you create chances and win games of this magnitude.

 

Spain

The Spanish will enter uncharted waters on Sunday as they prepare for the first FIFA World Cup final. Despite the embarrassment of riches currently available to coach Vicente Del Bosque, as well as the many talented Spanish teams that has preceded the current crop, Spain have never reached the final of a FIFA World Cup and so have already made history by qualifying for Sunday’s show-piece. You’d be foolish to think for one second they’re happy with merely that, as with the European title in the bag Spain go in search of a scintillating double to back up their EURO 2008 success and have looked every bit a potential champ despite never escaping gear 3 in South Africa.

La Roja are now favourites to clinch the title on Sunday after eliminating the side many believed were and perhaps still are the team of the tournament in Germany. If anything that’s a testament to Spain, the fact they’ve beaten the team to beat and will have taken so much confidence away from their 1-0 win in Cape Town. Spain were magnificent if we’re honest, tactically very sound throughout but the manner in which they retained possession and dictated the tempo of the game was terrifying, as up till then Germany were dominating the possession count and were the side bossing the midfield and asking all the questions. A packed out Spanish midfield completely overrun and overpowered Germany in midfield and that’s a huge concern for Dutch fans as Holland focus most of their play down the flanks and often find themselves opposed down the centre. There should be gaps in the middle for Spain to exploit, and with Xavi and Iniesta likely to run the shots, who would bet against another domineering display from Spain?

A lot like Holland in that they’ve continued a pattern of winning games by a one goal margin, so have Spain only they’ve achieved all their knock-out wins by a 1-0 scoreline. Their ability to boss the midfield and retain possession for large periods of the game means their defence rarely comes under any pressure because the opponent simply doesn’t get enough of the ball. However, despite not conceding a goal since the group, there have been signs that this Spanish defence has flaws and can be exposed. Their full-backs in particular are vulnerable. Whoever finds themselves up against the tricky Arjen Robben will need to have their wits about them, Ramos especially as the Real Madrid man does dive in far too much and could test the patience of English referee Howard Webb should he mistime his lunges. Another area of concern is at full-back, as while Puyol and Pique are sound from the air, on the floor they are so sluggish and could be undone by some neat interchanging if they aren’t careful. All of these are genuine flaws in an otherwise superb Spanish set up. If Spain dominate the midfield like they have done for most of the tournament then we shouldn’t see too many of them exploited. However, we’ve seen enough lapses in concentration to concern us and there;s certainly food for thought for all you punters desperate to dive head first into the Spanish express.

All the talk pre-final will be whether or not Del Bosque sticks or twists in regards to Pedro. The Barcelona ace was a breath of fresh air in the first half against Germany, starting ahead of the disappointing Fernando Torres, and was the best player on the park for 45 minutes; dazzling us with his mazy runs as well as showing us his cute side with some beautiful threaded balls. However, there were clear signs of immaturity in the second period, none more so when presented with the opportunity to wrap matters up by passing to Torres, who would have had the goal at his mercy, only to go alone and fluff his line. The promising Pedro was subbed minutes later leading to speculation that Del Bosque has no time whatsoever for selfish individuals and could well recall the services of Torres, a player of the highest calibre despite a disappointing tournament thus far. It was, however, Torres who scored Spain’s winner in the 2008 European final that ended the country’s lengthy drought without a major honour, so Del Bosque knows exactly what he’s getting with Torres and that’s a proven match winner, tournament winner even!

It’s so important that Spain dominate from midfield once again as that is where their previous games have been won. While they’ve often found chances hard to come by, their persistence to keep the ball leads to their opponents tiring fast which then leads to gaps opening up through physical and mental fatigue. This Spanish side have been teaching everyone a lesson in how to grind out results and we see no reason why they should change their approach now. After all, they’re playing against a Holland side which doesn’t have the strongest of defences. The problem being Holland have the quality in the final third to punish any arrogance shown on Spain’s part, so it’s crucial, I would even say imperative, that Spain take away the legs of Holland’s key individuals by passing them to death.

 

Match Verdict: Spain to WIN – 2.15 VCbet

The expression “Thee of little faith” instantly springs to mind with this selection, as we backed Holland to win South Africa 2010 weeks ago, but we’ve been an admirer of the Spanish machine all tournament even though they’ve found goals hard to come by and have often needed a bit of fortune and tenacity to see them through games. For us, it’s the midfield which ultimately swings it in Spain’s direction, as they have the ability to run teams into the ground with their passing. If Holland can grab the early initiative by scoring first then we will have a different game altogether, one far open than many anticipate, but we have our concerns and doubts should Holland take as long as they did against Brazil and Uruguay to settle into this game. We hate to say it, but Spain to seize the moment and clinch the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

FootballBookmakers.info Value Bet (Spain): Fernando Torres Anytime Scorer – 4.50 Betfair
FootballBookmakers.info Value Bet (Holland): Arjen Robben FGS – 11.00 VCbet

 

 

Current World Cup Final Holland v Spain Odds: