Spain v Morocco Match Preview
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MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- The two previous meetings came in a two-legged qualification play-off for the 1962 World Cup. Spain won 1-0 away and 3-2 at home.
Spain
- Five of Spain’s starting 11 against Iran had 100 caps or more – Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, David Silva and Sergio Ramos.
- Sergio Ramos made his 15th World Cup appearance against Morocco, equalling Xavi. Only Iker Casillas (17) and Andoni Zubizarreta (16) have made more for Spain.
- Diego Costa is only the third Spanish player to score three goals in the first two games of a World Cup, after Fernando Torres in 2006 and Michel in 1990.
- Spain are unbeaten in 22 matches in all competitions (W15, D7), scoring in each game.
- Their win against Iran was the first time in five attempts Spain have won a World Cup match with David Silva in the starting line-up.
- Spain have won three of their four World Cup matches against African opponents (L1), scoring 11 goals and never fewer than two per game.
- They have finished top of their group in three of the last four World Cups, with the only exception their early exit in 2014.
- La Roja have won their final group game in each of the last eight World Cup tournaments, a run stretching back to 1986.
Morocco
- Morocco have now been eliminated at the group stage in four of their five World Cup campaigns, only progressing in the 1986 tournament.
- Should they lose this match, it will be just the second time that Morocco have lost all of their group games, having also done so in 1994.
- Morocco have registered more shots than their opponents in each of their last six World Cup defeats.
TEAM NEWS
Spain could be without back-up goalkeeper Pepe Reina, who is a doubt for this game.
Defender Nacho Monreal has recovered from a minor problem and should be available, though he is unlikely to break into the starting line-up.
Midfielder Koke will hope for a recall after being dropped in favour of Lucas Vazquez for the win over Iran.
Morocco may rotate their squad with their World Cup elimination already confirmed.
Sofyan Amrabat, Youssef En-Nesyri and Mehdi Carcela could all earn their first starts of the tournament
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