- Both Spain and Saudi Arabia have one point from their opening two FIFA World Cup Group H games, with Spain third and Saudi Arabia second by goal difference.
- Spain's last three games have seen them draw 1-1 at home to Iraq, beat Peru 3-1 away and draw 0-0 at home to Cape Verde in Group H.
Chess match likely as Spain try to break down the Saudis
The pressure is on Spain to win their second FIFA World Cup Group H game against Saudi Arabia in the Atlanta Stadium on Sunday after both sides picked up one point each from their opening match. Our Spain vs Saudi Arabia prediction suggests that both teams will be eager to break the deadlock and secure a crucial win.
Saudi Arabia, in second place on goal differential, have won one, drawn two and lost two of their last five games, so they are an inexact science. They have drawn their last two and are unbeaten in three, so there is a pattern of steady improvement under new manager Georgios Donis.
The Greek tactician has installed a compact 4-4-2 system or 4-4-1-1 system which has made the Green Falcons very difficult to break down since he took over in April. They are a low-risk team that don't dominate the ball but do work hard at closing down spaces and can hit on the counter attack with pace and accuracy.
Spain, in contrast, like to keep the ball and dominate opponents with their positional superiority in the 4-3-3 formation. Luis de la Fuente has built a more muscular team than Luis Enrique's previous side, using their pressing ability to win the ball back high up the field and getting the full backs to join the attack to create overloads. This Spain vs Saudi Arabia preview highlights the tactical battle between possession and compact defense.
So it should be an interesting tactical match-up at Atlanta Stadium, USA, which is likely to feature the Spaniards dominating the possession but struggling to find a way through Saudi Arabia's compact lines. Spain's best player at the moment is Mikel Oyarzabal, who has scored three of their last six goals, while Abdulelah Al Amri has one in this Group H for Saudi Arabia and Abdullah Al-Hamdan has scored two of their last five across all competitions. The Spain vs Saudi Arabia prediction also considers individual match-winners who could tip the balance.
This is a chess match
This game is likely to be decided by one moment of brilliance or a defensive error as Spain dominate the game but lack the quality to unlock Saudi Arabia. As for Spain vs Saudi Arabia betting tips, note that both teams have been solid in defense, so the odds on 'Both teams to score - No' at 1.37 and 'Under 2.5 goals' at 2.56 look a bit short, but probably reflect the reality of this game.
