Ireland v Spain betting at online bookmaker Paddy Power has a Money Back Special running for the big match. Ireland need to pull something special out of the bag in order to keep their Euro 2012 dreams alive, and it has to come against the defending European Champions. The Spaniards failed to beat Italy in their first match, with Cesc Fabregas netting an equaliser against the Italians to share the points.
If Spain fail to win the game against Ireland, then online bookmaker Paddy Power will refund all losing First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast bets placed on the match. This provides a nice bit of coverage for your betting on the game, in options like a Spain 1-0 win for 5/1, or a Fernando Torres First Goalscorer bet at 9/2. Online bookmaker Paddy Power also offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account with them.
Ireland v Spain Euro 2012 odds at Paddy Power
Spain 2/7, Draw 9/2, Ireland 10/1
Ireland really have to go for broke and at least get a point out of the game to keep their hopes of reaching the knock-out stage alive. Giovanni Trapattoni, will realistically have had to look at his side’s performance in the 3-1 defeat against Croatia in their first Group C match and have been disappointed. It wasn’t a good, nor convincing display from the Irish, and truthfully it was one of the poorer performances of the first round of group matches. Ireland did draw themselves back level at 1-1 in the game, but they were second best in all departments throughout the match. Sticking with his 4-4-2 formation, Trapattoni would have hoped for a little more control in the centre of the park, because Ireland did just not get a grip in there. The warning signs of Ireland getting over ran in midfield were there from the international friendlies which they played pre-tournament. There were gaping holes in the back line for Ireland and going forward, for all their bluster there really wasn’t much created inside of the box. So what will Trapattoni have up his sleeve? Will he change personnel? Will he tinker with the formation a little bit, and try to frustrate the Spaniards for ninety minutes in search of what could be a precious point?
The coach is not one to hit the panic button though. The defeat against Croatia signalled the end of a 14 match unbeaten run, so Ireland know their strengths. They weren’t having a good day at the office in their opener, and defensively they haven’t looked that bad for a long time. Stoke’s Jonathan Walters may get a starting nod against Spain, but wholesale changes are simply not going to happen. Can Ireland respond? They seem to have missed the opportunity in what they had targeted as their easiest game in Group C, and now an uphill task awaits them. They may well have to turn to Chelsea’s performances in the Champions League, and Denmark’s efforts against the Netherlands for inspiration They have to give it their all, but with just four wins out of 24 past meetings with the Spaniards, the uphill task may be more mountainous than the Irish spirit is ready for.
The last time Ireland met Spain was at the 2002 World Cup. That match was a long tense, affair, stranding at 1-1 after extra time, with the Spaniards winning the round of sixteen match 3-2 in a penalty shoot out.
Spain didn’t even go with a recognised striker for their opening match against Italy, and it almost backfired. They are missing the goals of David Villa, and so Vicente del Bosque decided to flood the midfield and use Cesc Fabregas as an attacking weapon. It was the former Arsenal who was the hero at the end of the day, rescuing a point for the Spaniards after they had fallen behind in the match. It wasn’t a great Spanish performance, they made life pretty easy for the Italian defence in all honesty, because their passive game was missing a big link up front in a target man. Still, Spain will grow from that match, and there are the options of Fernando Torres and Fernando Llorente to bring into the side to spearhead an attack. So Spain stuttered through their first match, and an awful pitch for passing on didn’t help. But Spain will be strong favourites to pass their way past the Irish and exploit their opponents with space, creativity and movement.
Ireland v Spain Prediction: Ireland were poor in their first match and they will know it. Spain should grow in confidence and the will dominate possession against the Irish and you would back them to find at least one break through in the match. Therefore a Spain -1.75 Asian Handicap at Paddy Power looks a good bit of business.
