Spaniards Should Rebound
From First-Round Loss
One Great Season
One of the tournament favorites and one of its biggest underdogs meet in a matchup of winless teams Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Honduras' first World Cup match in nearly 30 years ended with a 1-0 loss to Chile, and everyone in the entire universe knows what happened in Spain's first match. Although neither team has gotten on the board, this match has the potential to shake up the entire tournament. A Spain win immediately puts them back on track toward advancing, while a Honduras win could go down as one of the biggest shockers in tournament history.
Why Spain will win:
Although questions regarding Spain's ability to play as a team have arisen, there is no doubting the individual talent that fills the roster. Against Honduras' suspect back line, Spain should dominate the possession battle. I expect Fernando Torres to start up top with David Villa, and the dangerous duo will get multiple opportunities with players like Xavi and Andres Iniesta pushing the ball forward. Honduras struggled on the right side against Chile, and Spain will exploit that weakness and push forward in the attack.
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Why Honduras will win:
Honduras will take the same approach as Switzerland against Spain. Los Catrachos will stay compact in the back and absorb the Spanish attack with hopes of not letting one through. Honduras will look for the right time for a counter-attack, and Wilson Palacios and Ramon Nunez can provide possession long enough for a threat to develop. David Suazo may be set to return after injury, and he and fellow striker Carlos Pavon will look for that golden opportunity to convert, much like Switzerland did.
Player to watch:
Possession is key to Spain's success, and midfielder Xavi sets the standard of the possession game for La Furia Roja. Xavi provides the basis for the Spanish attack with his passing and ability to maneuver around defenders and distribute accordingly. Spain played with panic against Switzerland, but look for Xavi to restore the sense of calm to the Spanish side as they try to rebound. Xavi may not be the prolific goalscorer who grabs headlines, but he is nonetheless the driving force of the Spanish attack.
Prediction:
All skeptics will be looking at Spain when they take the field, and they will respond with a resounding statement in this match. Honduras had trouble with a talented Chilean attack last week, and Spain's world-class attack will be even more dangerous. Spain's passing game will wear down the Hondurans, and eventually lead to opportunities much like the game against Switzerland. However, this time Spain will cash in. The talent disparity in this game is too much to overcome, and Spain re-enters the discussion as favorites after a dominating win. Spain 3, Honduras 0
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