World Cup 2018 Group B Preview and Predictions
Group B looks pretty straight forward with Portugal, Spain, Morocco and Iran. The question is which one of Spain or Portugal will finish top of the group? Portugal look good value to finish top of the group and with Ronaldo leading the line this is very possible, although the outcome of this group will unquestionably be decided by their clash.
Both teams finished top of their respective groups in qualification for Russia, however based on the fact that Portugal delivered last time out in Euro 2016, why not look at the Portuguese to go through in pole position?
Spain
The Spanish won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, although four years later they failed to get through the group stages, something they will certainly not want to repeat again this time around.
If their qualification campaign is anything to go by, Julen Argote team should go deep into the tournament and are currently fourth favourites behind Brazil, Germany and France to lift a second World Cup. Unbeaten in their 10 qualification games, Spain registered 9 wins, scoring 36 goals in the process, however what was most impressive, was their defensive effort that saw them concede just 3!
In Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos and David Silva they have plenty of winning experience at the highest level, however there are casualties with no place for Morata, Fabregas and Alonso.
Isco has matured into a fine player with Real Madrid this season, while in David De Gea they have the best keeper in world football. David Silva himself has been in a rich vein of form for Manchester City this season and will slot into a midfield that has plenty of class.
Spain open up their 14th World Cup campaign against Portugal, and a win here will most likely set them up as Group winners.
Spain World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: David de Gea (Manchester United), Pepe Reina (Napoli), Kepa Arrizabalaga (Athletic Bilbao)
Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Alvaro Odriozola (Real Sociedad), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Nacho (Real Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Nacho Monreal (Arsenal).
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Saul Niguez (Atletico Madrid), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Alcantara (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), David Silva (Manchester City).
Forwards: Isco (Real Madrid), Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), Lucas Vazquez (Real Madrid), Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo), Rodrigo (Valencia), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid).
Portugal
Like Spain, Portugal failed to get through from the group stages in 2014, and have a best finish of third in the 1966 tournament in England.
This time around they will have high hopes after being crowned European Champions in 2016 and a qualification campaign that saw them win 9 and lose just the once. Both their defence and attack look in good shape after conceding just 4 while scoring 32, however one can’t help but think their aspirations fall squarely on the shoulders of none other than Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Real Madrid man has 81 international goals in 149 matches, 15 of those coming in 9 World Cup qualification games ahead of Russia.
That said his record of 3 goals in 13 World Cup games is certainly not at the level one would expect from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, and is third favourite behind Messi and Neymar to put this right and finish the tournament as top scorer.
At 33-years-of-age this could also be his last World Cup, and in a career that has seen him win everything, going out on a high will surely make him one of the very best players in the history of the sport.
Portugal do have other quality players in Sporting’s William Carvalho and AC Milan’s Andre Silva, who chipped in with 9 qualification goals himself, and will provide additional attacking threat.
As mentioned above, Portugal open up with their massive clash against Spain, the winner of this one most likely to top the group. Interestingly enough Ronaldo has never scored against the country he plies his trade in, another first time accomplishment he will be thinking about coming into the game.
Portugal World Cup Squad
Defenders: Bruno Alves (Rangers), Cedric Soares (Southampton), Jose Fonte (Dalian Yifang), Mario Rui (Napoli), Pepe (Besiktas), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund), Ricardo Pereira (Porto), Ruben Dias (Benfica).
Midfielders: Adrien Silva (Leicester), Bruno Fernandes (Sporting Lisbon), Joao Mario (West Ham), Joao Moutinho (AS Monaco), Manuel Fernandes (Lokomotiv Moscow), William Carvalho (Sporting).
Forwards: Andre Silva (AC Milan), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Gelson Martins (Sporting Lisbon), Goncalo Guedes (Valencia), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas).
Morocco
The last time Morocco qualified for a World Cup was back in 1998 where they failed to get through the group stages. In fact, this will be their 5th World Cup and only in 1986 did they progress further than this stage.
Qualification saw them win 3 and draw 3, however one standout statistic is the fact that no team managed to score against them. That said Mali, Gabon and the Ivory Coast are not on the same level as Spain and Portugal!
Captain Medhi Benatia has had a decent season for Juventus, while Khalid Boutaïb was their top scorer in qualification with 4 goals.
Iran are their opponents first up and the Africans will be expected to secure the points here. If they can follow up a projected win over Iran with a draw against either Portugal or Spain, then we could be faced with an interesting scenario.
Morocco World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Mounir El Kajoui (Numancia), Yassine Bounou (Girona), Ahmad Reda Tagnaouti (Ittihad Tanger).
Defenders: Mehdi Benatia (Juventus), Romain Saiss (Wolves), Manuel Da Costa (Basaksehir), Badr Benoun (Raja Casablanca), Nabil Dirar (Fenerbahce), Achraf Hakimi (Real Madrid), Hamza Mendyl (LOSC).
Midfielders: M’barek Boussoufa (Al Jazira), Karim El Ahmadi (Feyenoord), Youssef Ait Bennasser (Caen), Sofyan Amrabat (Feyenoord), Younes Belhanda (Galatasaray), Faycal Fajr (Getafe), Amine Harit (Schalke 04).
Forwards: Khalid Boutaib (Malatyaspor), Aziz Bouhaddouz (Saint Pauli), Ayoub El Kaabi (Renaissance Berkane), Nordin Amrabat (Leganes), Mehdi Carcela (Standard de Liege), Hakim Ziyech (Ajax).
Iran
Like Morocco this will the 5th time Iran will feature in the World Cup Finals, and with just 1 win, they have never managed to get through the group stages.
Ex-Real Madrid manager Carlos Quieroz is the man at the helm and after a qualification that saw them win 6 and draw 4 from their 10, they will be hoping they are not in the tournament to make up the numbers.
I do however fear this will be the case and simply can’t see them adding to their 1 World Cup win in Russia 2018.
Sardar Azmoun is their talisman with 7 goals in the qualification and at just 23 he has a bright future ahead of him but not at this level.
Iran Provisional World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Seyed Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal), Rashid Mazaheri (Zob Ahan), Amir Abedzadeh (Maritimo, Portugal);
Defenders: Ramin Rezaeian (Ostende, Belgium), Voria Ghafouri (Esteghlal), Steven Beitashour (Los Angeles FC, USA), Seyed Jalal Hosseini (Persepolis), Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (Padideh), Morteza Pouraliganji (Alsaad, Qatar), Mohammad Ansari (Persepolis), Pejman Montazeri (Esteghlal), Seyed Majid Hosseini (Esteghlal), Milad Mohammadi (Akhmat Grozny, Russia), Omid Norafkan (Esteghlal), Saeid AGhaei (Sepahan), Roozbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal);
Midfielders: Saeid Ezatolahi (Amkar Perm, Russia), Masoud Shojaei (AEK Athens, Greece), Ahmad Abdolahzadeh (Foolad), Saman Ghoddos (Ostersunds, Sweden), Mahdi Torabi (Saipa), Ashkan Dejagah (Notthingham Forest, England), Omid Ebrahimi (Esteghlal), Ehsan Hajsafi (Olympiacos, Greece), Ali Karimi (Sepahan), Soroush Rafiei (Al Khor, Qatar), Ali Gholizadeh (Saipa), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis);
Forwards: Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), Karim Ansarifard (Olympiacos, Greece), Mahdi Taremi (Al Gharafa, Qatar), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Heerenveen, Netherlands), Kaveh Rezaei (Charleroi, Belgium).
SPORTSvox World Cup Group B Predictions
This is all about which one of either Spain or Portugal will finish top of the group. Their opening clash could very well be a draw, meaning goals will be the deciding factor in their remaining other two games. With this in mind Portugal to win the group sits well with me. Oh yes and perhaps look at the odds for Ronaldo to score against Spain!
World Cup 2018 Fixtures, Group B
FRIDAY 15TH JUNE
Morocco v Iran
Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg
FRIDAY 15TH JUNE
Portugal v Spain
Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi
WEDNESDAY 20TH JUNE
Portugal v Morocco
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
WEDNESDAY 20TH JUNE
Iran v Spain
Kazan Arena, Kazan
MONDAY 25TH JUNE
Iran v Portugal
Mordovia Arena, Saransk
MONDAY 25TH JUNE
Spain v Morocco
Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad
