Changes likely as Spain looks to end Euro qualifying on a high at home


Madrid, Nov 19 (IANS): Spain will entertain Georgia in their final European Championship qualifying game on Sunday, knowing that a point will assure they go into the draw for the tournament as winners of Group A with a better chance of a top-seeding next summer in Germany.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente will make wholesale changes to the team that won 3-1 in Cyprus on Thursday, in a game where Spain dominated the first half but relaxed their intensity after the break, reports Xinhua.

Players such as Alvaro Morata, Rodrigo Hernandez, Nico Williams, and Unai Simon sat out all of Thursday's game, with Rodri not even making it to the bench, but all four are expected to start in Valladolid's Jose Zorrilla Stadium.

Other players, such as Dani Carvajal and Ferran Torres, will also be in the starting line-up.

Georgia delivered one of their best displays in qualifying during the week and was only denied a win at home to Scotland by Lawrence Shankland's 93rd-minute equalizer after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who plays for Napoli, had twice put them ahead.

Giorgi Mamardashvili will be in goal for the Georgians, and the Valencia keeper has been in outstanding form for his club this campaign.

Mamardashvili and the rest of his team will be anxious to avoid a repeat of the 7-1 drubbing the Spanish inflicted on them in their first meeting in September, in a game which saw Morata score a hat-trick.

Spain managed 33 shots in that first meeting two months ago, and the fact that De la Fuente has kept key players fresh implies he is looking to end qualification on a high, and that Mamardashvili can expect another busy night on Sunday.

 

  

Top Stories


Leave a Comment

Title: Changes likely as Spain looks to end Euro qualifying on a high at home



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.