Spain faced a tough challenge as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq in a World Cup warm-up match in La Coruna. Despite opening the scoring with Ferran Torres in the 16th minute, Spain struggled to break down Iraq’s solid defense. Iraq’s Merchas Doski equalized in the 27th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Spain.
The match saw Spain coach Luis de la Fuente fielding a much-changed team, giving debuts to new players like Marc Bernal and Jon Martin. With several regular players absent due to injuries or rest, Spain’s performance was impacted. The second half witnessed Spain failing to create clear chances against Iraq’s resilient defense.
Spain will now head to the United States for their final warm-up match against Peru before kicking off their World Cup campaign against Cabo Verde on June 15. Meanwhile, Iraq, despite showing strength against Spain, faces a tough group including France, Senegal, and Norway in the upcoming tournament.
Elsewhere in international friendlies, France suffered a 2-1 defeat to Cote d’Ivoire, with Guela Doue playing a key role in the Ivorians’ victory. Sweden, on the other hand, was held to a draw by Greece in their send-off match in Stockholm, with the game ending in a 1-1 stalemate.
