Macedonia vs Spain Euro 2016 - Preview, Predictions, Stream, Schedule, Lineups
Spain has a chance to bring itself closer to the Euro 2016 when it faces Macedonia on the road on Tuesday.
Spain is coming off a convincing 2-0 win over Slovakia, arguably its finest performance since a terrific 2-1 win over Uruguay in the Confederations Cup 2013. That game marked the last time that Spain looked dominant in attack while also keeping itself sturdy at the back. Tiki taka looked as good as ever, and Spain was still the best team in the world.
That has changed in the two years since, but against strong competition like Slovakia, Spain looked like the world champions of yesteryear. The passing was beautiful and crisp. The chances came at a premium. Jordi Alba's goal came off the wondrous passing of David Silva. The defending, save for one gaffe from Sergio Ramos, was compact. And even Iker Casillas looked terrific in the pipes.
The only main problem was the same one that has plagued Spain since even before David Villa left: the finishing. Diego Costa continues to look like the odd man up top, unable to link up well with Spain's tight passing. In the opposition box, he looks like a deer in headlights, unable to produce the kinds of runs that open up opposing defenses. It might be time to give Paco Alcácer the starting role and consider the Costa experiment a failure.
Of course, he might finally find his touch against a Macedonian side that is as poor as they come. The team has one win in seven qualifiers and has conceded 15 goals in that span; five of those goals came in a 5-1 defeat against Spain a year ago. It would be unsurprising to see the result replicated with the kind of form Spain looks to be in. A 5-1 win on the road would certainly be something to marvel about.
Prediction: A 5-1 win in Macedonia for Spain is feasible, but let us keep expectations more reasonable. Spain wins 4-1 and Costa nets a brace.
Start Time: 2:45 p.m. EDT
The game will be available for viewing on ESPN3.
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