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Spain held to 1-1 draw by Iraq in World Cup preparation friendly

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Spain drew 1-1 with Iraq in a World Cup 2026 preparation match, despite dominating play.
  • Ferrán Torres scored for Spain in the 11th minute, but Iraq equalized through Merchas Doski in the 27th.
  • Key players like Rodri and Pedri were absent, and Spain will face Mexico next in their final pre-World Cup friendly.

Spain's preparation for the 2026 World Cup hit a snag as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq in a home friendly match. Despite a clear dominance throughout the game, the Spanish team struggled to translate their control into a winning scoreline.

Ferrán Torres opened the scoring for Spain in the 11th minute, but Iraq's Merchas Doski responded with a high-quality equalizer in the 27th minute. The goal sparked criticism regarding the positioning of Spanish goalkeeper Joan García.

Several regular Spanish players were unavailable for the match, including Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams due to injury, as well as Rodri and Pedri. Coach Luis de la Fuente used the game to test various squad options ahead of the tournament.

Spain, the 2010 World Cup champions, will play their final pre-tournament friendly against Mexico on Monday. They are drawn in Group H for the World Cup, opening their campaign against Cape Verde on June 15, followed by matches against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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