Our betting expert expects Spain to warm up for the World Cup with a high-scoring, convincing victory over Iraq.
Best bets for Spain vs Iraq
- BTTS - No at odds of 1.40 on Betway
- Anytime goalscorer - Mikel Oyarzabal at odds of 1.67 on Betway
- Overs/unders - Over 3.5 goals at odds of 1.82 on Betway
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Our analysis: Form of both teams
- Score prediction: Spain 4-0 Iraq
- Goalscorers prediction: Spain: Mikel Oyarzabal x2, Yeremy Pino, Victor Munozli
Spain’s quest to wrestle the World Cup from Argentina’s grip starts this week. La Roja will play two warm-ups ahead of the tournament, starting with a meeting against Iraq in La Coruna. Luis de la Fuente’s men will assemble by Thursday, with some players still arriving from their clubs.
Their young prodigy, Lamine Yamal, won’t be available for either of their two friendlies due to injury. The winger could also only be available when Spain take on Saudi Arabia in their third group game on 21 June. However, his absence gives the coach a chance to rotate and fine-tune his starting XI ahead of the tournament.
Iraq are also making a triumphant return to the global showpiece after 40 years. The Lions of Mesopotamia did the impossible and saw off Bolivia 2-1 in their World Cup play-off in April. Graham Arnold has done a splendid job with the Iraqi national team since taking charge last May.
Facing the one-time world champions will be an excellent test of their credentials as they prepare for football’s grandest stage. Iraq have France, Senegal and Norway in their group, so locking horns with La Roja is the preparation they need for the tournament.
Probable lineups for Spain vs Iraq
Spain expected lineup: Simon, Llorente, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Rodri, Pedri, Torres, Pino, Baena, Oyarzabal
Iraq expected lineup: Talib, Saadoon, Tahseen, Hashem, Yahya, Iqbal, Sher, Qasem, Yousif, Farji, Meme
Spain’s solid defence proving tough to break down
Spain are ranked number two in the world, which means Iraq are in for a tough night. With the back-four at de la Fuente’s disposal, breaking through the defence might prove difficult for the Asian side. The hosts have shown their defensive resilience by keeping seven clean sheets across their last eight internationals.
Iraq, meanwhile, have scored just three goals in their recent four matches. The Lions of Mesopotamia blanked in 50% of that run, supporting the argument for a Spanish clean sheet on Thursday. The home side have shipped only two goals in their last eight matches; that’s an average of 0.25 goals per game.
Additionally, both teams have scored in just one of Spain’s last eight international fixtures. Furthermore, only one of Iraq’s previous five matches saw the net bulge at both ends. As a result, we foresee the same outcome in this friendly.
- Spain vs Iraq Betting Tip 1: BTTS - No at odds of 1.40 on Betway
Oyarzabal the man to score
The reigning European champions boast a plethora of attacking gems. Goals can come from different areas of the pitch. Yet, the man leading the line is most likely to find the back of the net. Mikel Oyarzabal has been in decent form for Real Sociedad this term, having scored 15 goals in 34 La Liga matches.
He was excellent in Spain’s World Cup qualification campaign, as he scored six goals in as many games. Oyarzabal didn’t feature in their recent outing against Egypt, but he shone through in his last appearance. The 29-year-old scored a brace in his previous cap — Spain’s 3-0 win over Serbia.
He is worth backing against a team that have not faced opposition of Spain’s calibre in a while.
- Spain vs Iraq Betting Tip 2: Anytime goalscorer - Mikel Oyarzabal at odds of 1.67 on Betway
The Spanish flood of goals
The visitors should brace themselves for a wave of attacks from the 2010 world champions. They’ve been highly prolific in recent outings, scoring 13 goals in just five matches. La Roja average 2.6 goals per game.
While Iraq have conceded just four goals in as many recent matches, none of those teams were inside the top 10 of the world rankings. When these nations last met in 2009, Spain ran out 1-0 winners, a year before they went on to lift their first-ever World Cup.
However, with the quality available in their squad ahead of this fixture, Spain are likely to put the Iraqi defence to the sword. It’s worth noting that four of Spain’s last five matches have featured over three goals. As a result, we expect a similar outcome on Thursday night.
- Spain vs Iraq Betting Tip 3: Overs/unders - Over 3.5 goals at odds of 1.82 on Betway