Spain has already made its way into Euro 2016, which makes its squad choice somewhat of a question mark going into a match with Ukraine on Monday which means everything to the hosts in Kiev.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Spain is still the favorite in this match at +140 on the moneyline, but clearly, there is going to be a lot more pressure on Ukraine than anything else. Yes, Ukraine has already qualified for at least one more match, but with Slovakia expected to whip lowly Luxembourg, third place is the best it can do. Finishing with 22 points though, will be enough to ensure automatic qualification into Euro 2016 without having to play a playoff against another third place team, something which could be crucial with other great teams threatening to finish third.
Only a point probably won't be good enough for Ukraine, as both Ireland, Croatia and Hungary are all teams which could hop into that top third place spot to get an automatic berth to France.
RECENT FORM
Spain actually hasn't been all that impressive of late. Yes, the team has been winning, but it hasn't exactly been dominant. A 4-0 win over Luxembourg was the first time La Roja had won a match by more than two goals since November 2014 against Belarus. Iker Casillas posted a clean sheet in that duel against Luxembourg, giving Spain just three goals allowed in nine matches here in Group C of qualifying for Euro 2016.
Ukraine is the far more interesting team to track right now. It beat Macedonia 2-0 over the weekend to put itself in good position to qualify. Just as the Spanish have been strong in defense, so too have the Ukrainians, who have allowed just three goals thus far in qualifying. Offense though, has been a problem. They generated nothing back in March in Seville against Spain in a 1-0 defeat, and a scoreless draw at Slovakia on September 8 was nothing to write home about either.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Spanish lost David Silva and Alvaro Morata to injuries against Luxembourg, and that's going to make Vicente del Bosque think twice before putting his best side out there in a meaningless match in Kiev. That means that men like Juanfran, Gerald Pique and Cesc Fabregas could all be left on the sidelines in favor of some of the younger players donning Spain's colors.
Yevhen Seleznyov has been in fine form, and opening the scoring against Macedonia was crucial for his confidence to stay high. He will be under a lot of pressure at the top of a generally defensive formation to score against a Spanish side which is sure to sit back and try to pick its spots on the counterattack as we are used to seeing.
Ruslan Rotan and the gang in the Ukrainian midfield have to be fantastic in this match no matter what Spanish side is out there, knowing that there is always a ton of possession for Spain to have when it is on the pitch.
The one constant that we expect to see is a lack of goals. Spain has the second-longest competitive run of play without allowing a goal in its history in play at the moment, and we have a tough time seeing how Ukraine will end up finding the back of the net. The result won't be good enough for the hosts, but it will be one which they should be proud of even though they will be forced into a playoff to get into Euro 2016.
Ukraine 0, Spain 0
BookMaker has live Euro 2016 odds for every clash of the season. You can find a moneyline price on Spain of +140 and a total of 2 right now! BookMaker is also going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-televised match. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, total and spread. Log in and start gambling during the soccer game now!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The fixture between Spain and Ukraine will take place at 2:45 p.m. ET on Monday, October 12, 2015 at Olympic Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
