Spain and Slovakia are playing on the Euro 2016 qualifying schedule and the match is on ESPN2 for TV coverage and has a live stream online from the WatchESPN website from Stadion MSK Zilina at 2:45 pm ET and 7:45 pm local time as the former World Cup champs take on Slovakia as both sides try and qualify for the European Championships.
Spain comes in as the defending champions of the European tournament and they will be trying to get the sour taste of the World Cup out of their mouths after playing terribly. The team came into the World Cup as one of the favorites after winning it all in South Africa and they were washed out of Brazil fairly quick. Spain comes in after washing out of the World Cup and not advancing to the group stage and now they are looking to play much better in the Euros. The team is the favorite in this game and since it's on the road, the pressure will be on for the team.
Slovakia has a passionate fan base and with a team like Spain coming in, they will be relentless on Thursday night. This is the second matchup for the teams in qualifying and both Spain and Slovakia come into the game after winning their first matchups. The wins in the first game are key and that takes a little bit of pressure off the two nations coming into the game. The Spanish side needs a nice performance and they are looking at the Euro tournament as a chance to make up for their horrible performance in Brazil.
Slovakia won their last match against Ukraine in Kiev by the score of 1-0 and now they are trying to take down Spain and they could be meeting with the team at the right time. Slovakia may not be top heavy like Spain, but they have some solid players through the midfield and in defense and they will need their best players to step up. Many of the Spanish stars have moved on and with Sergio Ramos out for the team, Spain will need to play smart and quick up front to get things going. Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas give the team a chance and Costa comes in playing very well for Chelsea.
Costa is one reason why the team is in first place in the English Premier League and he has been very impressive while scoring goals on a consistent basis for the Blues. Costa has become a leader on this team and now he has the chance to put his mark on the Spanish side as the team tries to get into good position for the tournament. Fabregas and Costa have played well together and that should extend to this tournament and could be huge for the Spanish team.
Check here for the Spain and Slovakia live coverage from ESPN.