Best Bet for Spain vs. Saudi Arabia

Best Bet: Spain Spread -3.5 (+230)

All that pent-up frustration for Spain is about to explode in this game. They have one of the best defenses in the world, an exceptional possession-controlling midfield, and an attack waiting to show its quality. Saudi Arabia put in a good effort against Uruguay to manage a draw, but they were playing well over their heads, and are cruising for a bruising here.

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia Picks, Prediction

Group H sure brought us some interesting results on the first match day. Spain’s historic draw against Cape Verde sure threw a wrench into their World Cup title hopes, while Saudi Arabia grabbed a heroic point from Uruguay as the underdogs. The Spanish need a shift in momentum here, while the Saudis are hoping to continue disrupting. Let’s get into a preview of both sides, then a prediction for the matchup.

Spain (0-1-0, +0 Goal Differential)

Look, it would be easy for me to rag on Spain for their attacking performance against Cape Verde. They created plenty of chances but failed to capitalize on any, dropping points in an embarrassing fashion. Even with Lamine Yamal being limited to substitute duties, there’s no excuse for drawing a side many tiers below them in the footballing world.

But there were good signs. The defense remained stout as ever; clean sheets are nothing new for this back line, even if that’s expected against a team like Cape Verde. The midfield trio of Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, and Pedri dominated possession and consistently turned aside Cape Verde’s chances to break through the middle. And though the attack on the whole was a disappointment, Yamal created big chances in his 19 minutes of action. He and Nico Williams will only get healthier, and both may be in the starting XI on Sunday.

Anything less than a win would be a disaster for Spain. When you have a team this strong top to bottom, taking care of business against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia is expected. Dropping points in one matchup isn’t the end of the world, but twice would be a significant problem. La Roja needs to throw everything they’ve got at this game.

Saudi Arabia (0-1-0, +0 Goal Differential)

Saudi Arabia’s performance against Uruguay was nearly an all-timer. They weathered 27 shot attempts (10 on target) without conceding until the 80th minute, and hung on for the draw despite constant pressure. Getting points from just one of these underdog matchups is huge for their chances to qualify, and they’d be in an excellent position if they can get anything out of this Spain matchup.

They need more out of their attack in this one. A gift of an own goal was the only reason they got on the board against Uruguay, and the Spanish defense gives away very little. Veteran winger and team captain Salem Al-Dawsari has to be better, and the strikers need to make the most of their chances. Playing out of a defensively inclined 4-4-2 formation, the Saudis need one or two crisp counters to make this a contest.

Defensively, it’s nothing new; play deep, block shots, close down attackers, and get every clearance you can. Spain’s attack is on a different level from Uruguay’s, and they’ll be sorely pressed to repeat that performance this time around. But we’ve already seen craziness in this World Cup.

Prediction: Spain’s attack is waiting to run riot here. Even if he doesn’t start, Yamal will be on earlier to cause mayhem. Mikel Oyarzabal was an absurd finisher in the qualifying stage. The midfield will be pushed into more progressive play this time around, and I foresee a comprehensive win from the best team in the world.

Additional World Cup Coverage

Check out the World Cup landing page at DraftKings Network for more World Cup content!