Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifying match.
There is a significant gulf in quality between Spain U21 and Cyprus U21, which is clear when comparing squad market value. A Spain U21 squad has topped €110.8m, while Cyprus U21 stand at a far more modest €1.7m.
Spain U21
At the summer UEFA European Under-21 Championship, Spain were eliminated in the quarter-finals by eventual winners England U21 (3:1), and they only competed in patches. The federation made a coaching reshuffle afterwards, and David Gordo now leads Spain U21. The squad is, as usual, rich in talent: notable defenders include Marc Pubill (Atlético Madrid) and Cristhian Mosquera (Arsenal), while Alberto Moleiro and Fermín López can make the difference in attack.
Cyprus U21
Cyprus come into the start of qualifying on a decent run of four matches without defeat. That run included meetings with Israel U21 (3:1) and Armenia U21 (1:1 and 5:2), but those opponents are far from top tier. In the autumn, Cyprus failed against Slovenia U21 (0:2), France U21 (0:3) and Hungary U21 (0:1), whose squads are markedly more accomplished.
Spain U21 vs Cyprus U21 Prediction
At the ground in Soria, Spain should record a comprehensive win over Cyprus. A convincing start to qualifying will make the task of sealing early progression easier.
