2018 FIFA WORLD CUP

2018 FIFA WORLD CUP – Iran vs Spain PREVIEW

Who would’ve though that we’d see Iran top of the group at any point? Yes it’s only been one game but Iran are currently topping the group beating Morocco 1-0 with a 95th minute winner. Iran put in a good shift, looked organised at the back, frustrated Morocco and stole the win. Meanwhile Spain took part in one of the most entertaining games drawing 3-3 with Portugal. Going forward Spain looked flawless at times with amazing link up play and solid finishing by Diego Costa. Spain are the massive favorites here, but Iran will look to frustrate them. They’ve nearly stole a point from Argentina in 2014, can they actually do it against Spain? Let’s get into the full preview.

IRAN

Iran couldn’t have scripted the opening match any better. A 95th minute own goal by Morocco sent Iran into a madness as they stole a 1-0 win. That was their 2nd ever win at the World Cup, first since 1998 when they beat USA. Iran looked very solid in that game, their organisation at the back was great as usual, they kept Morocco at bay. Other than the first 15-20 minutes where Morocco dominated the game, Iran turned it into an even game and had a few chances of their own, nothing special though. The game was pretty much stale as a whole and as we saw, Iran did steal it in the end. One big loss for Iran was that their star player Jahanbakhsh had to come off with an injury and I’m not quite sure whether he’s ready to play which is bad news because he’s the player that could most likely open up the Spanish defence. Iran’s lack of quality going forward did show in the opening game, but they got that little bit of luck.

Coming into their 2nd game, Iran have put themselves into a position where they have a chance to cause one of the biggest shocks in football history. A win here for Iran puts them through into the round of 16 from a group that Spain and Portugal are involved. Also a win here for Iran would put Spain in a massive hole. Nobody expects Iran to win however, they’re going to be pegged back and will hope that their back line is as organised as they’ve been over the past few years. Iran haven’t faced an opposition like Spain over those years, but they can look back on 2014 when it took Argentina 90 minutes to break them down. Iran needs to come into this game with the same belief that they can keep Spain at bay. If Iran can frustrate Spain by keeping the score 0-0, then maybe they have a chance, it’s a slim chance but anything is possible. The players will have to perform above their level and they’ll need a miracle to win. If Jahanbakhsh isn’t fit to play, then I don’t know how Iran creates any chances in this game.

SPAIN

Former world and European champions are back again. Spain played a decent game against Portugal, but got denied by a magical performance by Ronaldo and some mistakes. There really is no shame dropping points to Portugal especially when Ronaldo is in that type of form. Now for Spain, winning this game is a must and everyone expects them to do so. The quality that Spain provide are way higher than Iran, it’s going to be nothing like Morocco, this team is full of world class talent. One thing about Spain that stood out for me in the opening game was that it seems like their striker Diego Costa has grown up from the unsuccessful world cup 4 years ago. Diego looks like an absolute tank this year, scoring 2 in the opener and that’s a huge relief for Spain because now their incredible midfield have trustworthy striker who will finish his chances. Isco was the star man for Spain overall, just an incredible performance by him against Portugal, deserved a goal. I think even in a draw against Portugal, there were many positives and I don’t think Spain have anything to worry about, it was just a few moments of madness and greatness that cost them the win.

Coming into the 2nd game I think Spain just need to play the same type of football. Their midfield looks in great form, Isco is in banging form especially and Costa is in goal scoring form. Spain will have to face a defensive side, but I just can’t see them struggling to score past them. Incase Spain do struggle to score early, they just need to keep composure and wait until something opens up because they’re too good to not break down Iran. Also Spain needs to make sure their defenders are engaged because Iran will put a few balls forward eventually which hopefully Pique and Ramos is going to deal with. If Spain stay professional, don’t get frustrated it shouldn’t be much of a trouble to win. A win here for Spain puts them in a great position to advance, however a draw or a loss could make it very complicating. They can’t mess around, they’re way better and I expect a good performance from one of the best sides of the tournament.

Prediction

We should all be expecting a Spain win here. The talent gap between two sides is too massive in my opinion. Spain’s midfield and attack play is clicking and they won’t have to deal with Ronaldo this time round which should make it much easier for their defenders. Iran will look to frustrate Spain, but eventually they’ll get broken down and the flood gates might open. Expect Costa to get himself on the scoresheet again and their midfielders to dominate the game. Anything less than a 3-0 win for Spain would be surprising. One way traffic here.

Group Standings

1 Iran 3 pts +1 GD

2-3 Portugal 1 pt 0 GD

2-3 Spain 1 pt 0 GD

4 Morocco 0 pts -1 GD

ODDS – Decimal (WilliamHill)

Iran Win – 17.00

Draw – 7.00

Spain Win – 1.14

KICK OFF – 20th June 2018 – 7pm UK Time