Spain v Cape Verde Prediction: 6/4 Spain must work for victory

Two teams with immensely contrasting major tournament experience clash at the World Cup on Monday, as former world champions Spain take on African minnow Cape Verde at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 

Spain v Cape Verde Tips Summary

Best Bet - Spain to win and Over 10.5 corners @ 6/4
Alternative Bet - Under 3.5 goals @ 10/11
Bet Builder - Mikel Merino to score, Spain under 2 cards & Half-Time score: 0-0 @ 22/1

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Spain v Cape Verde Prediction

Best Bet: Spain to win and Over 10.5 corners @ 6/4

As expected, Spain sailed through qualifying with consummate ease. Luis de la Fuente’s men won five of their six matches, conceding just twice along the way.

Both of those goals came against Turkey in a 2-2 draw on the final matchday, with their place at the World Cup already pretty much guaranteed.

The Spaniards actually haven’t lost a competitive or friendly fixture since last June, when a penalty shootout determined their fate against Portugal in the final of the 2025 Nations League.

With Spain expected to play on the front foot from the first whistle, it’s likely the ball will spend plenty of time in Cape Verde’s defensive third.

This should result in plenty of corners being awarded, whether to Spain or following a Cape Verdean counter-attack.

Alternative Bet: Under 3.5 goals @ 10/11

Spain aren’t the only ones to boast a watertight defence. Having kept seven clean sheets during their historic qualification campaign, Cape Verde are also more than capable of nullifying the opposition.

For all their attacking quality, La Roja have recently lacked a cutting edge in the final third against so-called weaker opposition.

After labouring to a 0-0 draw with Egypt at the end of March, the Spaniards only managed to put one past Iraq during last week’s friendly encounter.

Spain v Cape Verde Bet Builder Tip

• Mikel Merino to score

• Spain under 2 cards

• Half-Time score: 0-0

  Pays 22/1

Mikel Merino registered six goals across Spain’s first four qualifying matches, netting three times in the double-header with Bulgaria and claiming a stunning hat-trick in the 6-0 thumping of Turkey.

The Arsenal midfielder has recently returned to action after fracturing his foot in January, so he’ll be keen to make up for lost time.

Spain concluded qualifying with an exemplary defensive record. No nation in the entire UEFA section picked up fewer yellow cards than the Spanish, who also managed to keep eleven men on the field for the full duration of their six qualifiers.

Although their opponents will be eager to attack from the first whistle, Cape Verde are experts at keeping things tight early on.

The scoreline was goalless at half-time in no less than four of their 10 qualifying matches, suggesting the Blue Sharks will give little away during the opening 45 minutes in Atlanta.

Key Match Stats

• Spain were eliminated by an African nation at the first knockout stage of the last World Cup, losing a penalty shootout against Morocco

• One of four debutants to be attending this summer's finals, Cape Verde are the third-smallest nation to ever compete at a World Cup

• This will be the first-ever meeting between these two sides, who both finished at the summit of their respective qualifying groups

• Spain are undefeated in their last 10 games in all competitions

• Cape Verde go into this game on the back of a three-game winning streak

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.