Preview: Spain vs. Netherlands

One of the two standout ties in the opening round of World Cup games, Spain vs. Netherlands, kicks off on Friday evening as both sides look to get off the mark with a win in the tricky Group B.

The holders, Spain, will be out to prove that their glory years have not been and gone, and although they will be favourites for the group this game is particularly important to see how they match up against a fellow European giant.

This is seen as one of the weaker Netherlands sides for a number of years, but without the pressure of expectation the likes of Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder could cause damage to a lot of teams.

Interestingly, this clash is a repeat of the final of 2010, in which Spain emerged victorious, and Sneijder himself has admitted that the Dutch are out for revenge.

The world champions have beaten both Bolivia and El Salvador 2-0 in the build-up to the tournament, and although they were not tested at the back, their attack will need to improve to break down the Dutch.

Netherlands have beaten Ghana, who are also in the tournament, and Wales in their warm-up clashes, and importantly showed improvement against the latter.

For the Spaniards, Diego Costa has declared his fitness ahead of the tournament, which will be a huge boost. The Netherlands will be reliant on some of their more experienced players, including Van Persie, Sneijder and Arjen Robben, who should all start.

Recent form

Spain: WLWWW

Netherlands: DLDWW

Possible starting lineups

Spain: Casillas; Azpilicueta, Ramos, Pique, Alba; Alonso, Busquets, Xavi; Silva, Costa, Iniesta

Netherlands: Cillessen; Janmaat, De Vriij, Vlaar, Martins Indi, Blind; Robben, De Jong, Sneijder; Van Persie, Jan-Huntelaar

Sports Mole says: 2-1