Euro 2016 Qualifiers: Spain vs Ukraine preview

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March 26th, 2015
Back Euro 2016 Qualifiers: Spain vs Ukraine preview

Defending champions Spain face a dangerous Ukraine side in a very important Euro 2016 qualifying match on Friday. Spain and Ukraine are tied on nine points ahead of the game and both behind Group C leaders Slovakia who recorded 12 points out of four games.

Spain were handed a shock defeat in Slovakia in September, so they will need to beat Ukraine if they want to keep the pace since Slovakia are hosting Luxembourg on the same day. The Spaniards have not lost any of their last 29 matches at home and also have a good record against Ukraine with two consecutive wins in the last couple of matches.

However, head coach Vicente Del Bosque will have to do without star striker Diego Costa, who is out with a hamstring strain. In his absence Alvaro Morata should be given the central striker role, with David Silva and Pedro on support duty from the wings. Ukraine also lost to Slovakia in their first group match but then snatched three consecutive wins and kept a clean sheet in the process.

Probable line-ups:

Spain: Casillas - Juanfran, Ramos, Pique, Alba - Busquets, Iniesta, Fabregas - Pedro, Morata, Silva

Ukraine: Pyatov - Fedetskiy, Rakitskiy, Khacheridi, Shevchuk - Stepanenko, Tymoshchuk, Konoplyanka, Yarmolenko - Zozulya, Oliynyk

My prediction: Spain to win 1-0.

Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:

Spain win - 3/10 Draw - 9/2 Ukraine win - 12/1

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