Match 1: Portugal – Morocco

This report is focused on the analysis of the match between Portugal and Morocco. The European champion, coached by F. Santos (FIFA ranking: 4) has been qualified from the European Preliminaries round. The team of H. Renard (FIFA ranking: 41) has been qualified from the African Preliminaries round.

Strengths vs Weaknesses

Portugal

Strengths	Weaknesses
Possession	Shots off Target
Shots on Target	Aerial Duels Won

Morocco

Strengths	Weaknesses
Shots on Target	Yellow Cards
Interception	Shots off Target

Team Statistical Profiles:

Portugal

1. Following its preliminaries’ efficiency, when Portugal faces teams of a similar FIFA Ranking with Morocco is expected to try more shots than its opponent AND is expected to receive 1 yellow card.
2. If Portugal, is going to win the ball possession (in the preliminaries its average ball possession rate was 64.5%) AND also if it is going to try more than 8 shots on target, it is expected to score at least 2 goals and is more likely to win the game.
3. On the other hand, if Portugal, tries few shots on target (less than 4) AND simultaneously, if it is going to be banned with at least 1 yellow cards AND its ball possession is less than 50%, it will face difficulties to get a positive result.

Morocco

1. Morocco is predicted to receive at least 1 yellow card. During preliminaries, it had an average of 1.5 yellow cards per game.
2. Morocco, is expected to face difficulties on scoring a goal, when it faces teams like Portugal (with such a high FIFA Ranking). But, if Morocco managed to win the ball possession with a percentage of 60% or more AND also managed to make more than its average shots on target (6.5) then it is expected to score at least 1 goal.

Prediction of the Game:

The following graph illustrates the estimated probabilities regarding the result of this game:

The projected indicators for the game:
Statathlon’s projection for the game between Portugal and Morocco is that the referee is going to show at least 2-3 yellow cards and Portugal is going to win the ball possession, trying many more shots on target and shots off target than Morocco.

Match 2: Uruguay – Saudi Arabia

This report is focused on the analysis of the match between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. The team of O. Tabarez (FIFA ranking: 14), qualified from the South American Preliminaries round, while the team of J. Antonio Pizzi (FIFA ranking: 67), qualified from the Asian Preliminaries round.

Strengths vs Weaknesses

Uruguay

Strengths	Weaknesses
Aerial Duels Won	Yellow Cards
Interception	Goal –

Saudi Arabia

Strengths	Weaknesses
Ball Recoveries	Shots on Target
Yellow Cards*	Goal –

* Saudi Arabia, doesn’t receive many yellow cards. This is the reason why the yellow cards are in Saudi Arabia’s strengths. More specifically, its has been measured that the average number of yellow cards in the preliminaries was below 0.7 (less than 0,7 yellow card per game). In almost 50% of the preliminaries games, Saudi Arabia didn’t receive any yellow or red card.

Team Statistical Profiles:

Uruguay

1. When Uruguay faces teams of a similar FIFA Ranking with Saudi Arabia, it usually scores in average 2.25 goals. Additionally, if Uruguay is going to win the ball possession (percentage rate higher than 50%) AND if it managed to try more than 4 shots on target, usually it is more likely to win the game.
2. If Uruguay’s shots on target are less than its preliminaries average (5.05) AND simultaneously if it is going to receive at least 2 yellow cards (its average rate on yellow cards is 2.1 cards per game) AND if it is going to lose the ball possession, then it is expected to face difficulties on getting a positive result.

Saudi Arabia

1. When Saudi Arabia faces teams of a similar FIFA Ranking with Uruguay, it usually receives at least 2 goals.
2. If its ball possession rate is less than 50% AND its shots on target are less than 3, then the best result it can get is the draw.
3. If it has 7 or more total shots AND also its ball possession is above its average rate (56.2%), then it is likely to get a positive result.

Prediction of the Game:

The following graph illustrates the estimated probabilities regarding the result of this game:

The projected indicators for the game:
Statathlon’s projection for the abovementioned game is that the referee is going to show at least 2 yellow cards during the game. Moreover, Uruguay is expected and more likely to win the ball possession and to try more shots than its opponent.

Match 3: Iran – Spain

This report is focused on the analysis of the match between Iran and Spain. The team of C. Queiroz (FIFA ranking: 37), qualified from the Asian Preliminaries round, while the 2010 World Cup champion team of J. Lopetegui (FIFA ranking: 10), qualified from the European Preliminaries round.

Strengths vs Weaknesses

Iran

Strengths	Weaknesses
Goal –	Possession
Shots off Target	Yellow Cards

Spain

Strengths	Weaknesses
Goal –	Ball Recoveries
Possession	Duels Won

Team Statistical Profiles:

Iran

1. Iran is expected to receive at least 1 yellow card. During preliminaries, it had an average of 1.2 yellow cards per game.
2. If Iran managed to have a ball possession rate close to (50%), (its average rate during the preliminaries) AND also the shots on target are close to its average value (3.2) then it is going to have few chances to get at least a draw.

Spain

1. When Spain faces teams of a similar FIFA Ranking with Iran, if it is expected to score at least 1 goal, receive at least 1 yellow card AND is expected to keep the clean sheet easily.
2. If Spain managed to win the ball possession and reach a rate close to its preliminaries average ball possession (66%) AND tries at least 10 total shots then it is expected to win the game.

Prediction of the Game:

The following graph illustrates the estimated probabilities regarding the result of this game:

The projected indicators for the game:
It is expected that both teams will receive at least 1 yellow card during the game. Spain is more likely to win the ball possession and it is expected to try more shots in total than its opponent. Finally, Spain is expected to score at least 1-2 goals in the game and in the end it is expected to have more chances for the win.