Spain and Iraq Draw in Friendly Match in La Coruña. In La Coruña, the Spanish national team failed to hold onto their lead in a match against Iraq. The game ended with a 1-1 draw. Spain dominated possession but were unable to capitalize on their advantage.
Spain's national team finished their home friendly match against Iraq with a 1:1 draw. The game took place on June 4, 2026, at the Estadio Abanca-Riazor in La Coruña and was part of both teams' preparations for upcoming tournaments. The Spaniards took an early lead: in the 16th minute, Ferran Torres scored after an assist from Dani Olmo. However, just 11 minutes later, the Iraqis equalized—Merchas Doski netted the goal following an assist by Akam Hashim.
Despite Spain's clear advantage in possession (66.2% versus 33.8%) and the number of shots (13 to 3), the hosts failed to turn their on-field superiority into a win. Spain had only four shots on target, while Iraq managed two. During the match, both teams received two yellow cards each, and Iraq was slightly tougher in terms of fouls—10 violations against Spain's 8.
Spain’s head coach Luis de la Fuente opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, while his counterpart Graham Arnold (Iraq) chose the classic 4-4-2. The starting lineups included key players such as captain Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo for the hosts, as well as Ahmed Basil and captain Ibrahim Bayash for the visitors. Throughout the match, the coaches actively used substitutions to test their reserve players and give different footballers game time.
The refereeing team was led by Florian Badstübner, assisted by Christoph Günsch, Sven Waschitzki-Günther, and fourth official Tobias Reichel. The match took place without major incidents, but included plenty of physical play and tactical adjustments.
The match in La Coruña was one of the stages in Spain's national team preparations for official tournaments. Such fixtures allow the coaching staff to assess the players’ form and test various tactical combinations. Similarly, for Iraq, these matches are an opportunity to measure themselves against European teams. In the context of sporting events in Spain, it’s worth noting that interest in friendlies remains high, especially after recent clashes in other sports, for example, as seen in the basketball series between Baskonia and Joventut, which was covered in more detail in the article about the start of the Endesa League playoffs.
For reference: Estadio Abanca-Riazor is the home arena of Deportivo La Coruña, accommodating more than 30,000 spectators. Friendly matches between national teams are often held at regional stadiums to attract fans from across the country. In 2026, Spain continues actively preparing for international tournaments, using such games to test the squad and tactical setups.
