The 2014 FIFA World Cup gets going with a bang in just its second day of the Group Stage. In the first game of Group B, Spain will test their nerves as the defending champions go up against the Netherlands, the team they defeated to win the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
As discussed in our Group B preview and complete World Cup predictions, Spain and the Netherlands may be the teams to go forward in the competition, although the team that emerges victorious from this game will take a big step towards winning the group and ensuring an easier path through the knock out stage.
The biggest stage for the beautiful game is finally here. Create a betting account now and read on for all the stories heading into this huge Group B match.
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Spain vs. Netherlands, World Cup 2014, Group Stage Betting Preview and Prediction
Spain will be making its 10th-consecutive World Cup appearance, and 14th overall, in Brazil 2014. Aside from entering this year’s tournament as the defending champions, this team has also won the past two European championships.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]Diego Costa surely ruffled some Brazilian fans’ feathers when he elected to play for the defending champions rather than the country of his birth. Costa, appearing unhampered by injury in training, will be a key component for Spain’s offensive output as he displayed in La Liga and UEFA Champions League. He used excellent dribbling and passing to record 35 goals and four assists in 43 appearances in the two leagues.
To his detriment, however, Costa can struggle with turnovers. Andres Iniesta will be there in those tenuous moments. Iniesta scored the winner of the 2010 World Cup final, and is a master of possession. In 36 appearances for Barcelona this season, he maintained a 90.6% passing accuracy, while adding three goals and 10 assists in La Liga and UEFA Champions League. Iniesta will be a vital player in keeping up Spain’s possession-based game.
This devastating offense may pose problems for the young defenders of Netherlands who may wilt under the pressure, especially early on in the game.
Spain has advanced from the group stage in six of its past seven tournaments.
Betting on Netherlands
The Netherlands is once again heading to the World Cup after winning nine of 10 matches and scoring 34 goals in qualification. Their only setback was a 2-2 draw against Estonia. However, it should be noted that they didn’t have the most difficult of groups; none of their opponents in qualifying were ranked in FIFA’s Top 30 teams.
The team boasts a number of veteran players such as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Arjen Robben, while fielding some new players like exciting young talent Memphis Depay.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was part of the squad that finished second to Spain in 2010. Huntelaar missed half the season due to a knee injury, but made some noise when he returned in January, scoring 12 goals in 17 games.
Arjen Robben, still one of the world’s best. The wily Dutchman is coming into this world cup after recording 15 goals and 10 assists in 30 games this season, while dangling around some of the best defenders in the world. These two veterans will use their previous experience to provide a solid backbone for their team.
Joining the two veterans is 20-year old forward Memphis Depay. Depay moves with the confidence of someone en route to greatness and has shown tremendous offensive potential. He played for PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch league Eredivisie this season, appearing in 32 games and scoring 12 goals with seven assists. The Dutch team could use the eagerness of such a young player to help propel them past the Group Stage and perhaps another finals appearance.
Although Spain may take possession of the ball for most of the match, the talented strikers of the Dutch may just need a small window of opportunity to score a goal. Couple their skill with the youthful energy of their fresher players, they may outlast the Spaniards in a grueling match.
The Netherlands are coming off a disappointing Euro 2012 tournament in which they lost all their matches and were eliminated by Germany, Portugal and Denmark.
Writer’s Prediction
These two teams make for an exciting and intense match-up, much like their 2010 World Cup finals appearance. Take the favorite Spain to win at -135.
