- Spain and Morocco will face off in the Round of 16 in the World Cup.
- Spain is favored to win by one goal, with -170 odds to win on the three-way moneyline.
- Morocco may be +500, but they were also underdogs to make it out of the group stages.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar - Spain and Morocco face off in the elimination rounds of the World Cup, with Spain as a favorite, but not by as much as one might think after a lackluster group stage.
Morocco vs. Spain World Cup Odds
- Morocco +500
- Spain -170
- Draw +280
Note that draw odds in this game refer to odds at full-time – if the game goes to extra time or penalty kicks, that does not invalidate a regular-time draw.
Spain limped into the knockout rounds after a shocking defeat at the hands of Japan, their first defeat in eight games.
Spanish stalwart Gavi expressed optimism, saying that the team learned from the loss: “The match against Japan has to serve as a lesson for what is to come, Gavi told Spanish newspaper Marca. “Luckily, that defeat has been resolved and we are clear about what we have to do."
Spain dominated the possession against Japan, with more than 80% of the game involving Spanish possession of the ball. Online gambling fans will likely be familiar with the Spanish tendency towards possession.
A similar figure is likely against Morocco, who will likely be forced to adopt a counterattacking posture, similar to what the Japanese found success with.
This is the second time Morocco has made it to the knockout rounds of the World Cup. The last time they made it this far was in 1986, when they were knocked out by the no-longer-around West Germany.
In previous matchups, Spain has won twice against Morocco, with one draw. Morocco has never defeated Spain.
The most recent of these matchups was in the 2018 World Cup, and it ended in a 2-2 draw.
The other two matchups happened more than 50 years ago – both happened in 1961, far from relevance to today’s game as far as soccer betting is concerned.
Morocco are clearly the underdogs in this match. That said, they were also underdogs to make it out of the group stages, with Belgium and Croatia favored over them. They could overcome long odds here as well.
Will Morocco Win? y/n