Will the Dragons be eliminated without a fight?
In Group B of the 2022 World Cup, the explosive clash between Iran and the USA will be joined by the no less spicy pairing between Wales and England to decide who reaches the 2022 World Cup Round of 16.
If the bookmakers have their way, betting on the Three Lions in Wales v England is a very good bet. After all, the Dragons have now waited seven international matches for another win (two draws, five defeats).
In addition, the Welsh side have lost all of their last six international matches against the English national football team and have scored only one goal against the Three Lions in this period, which is an important point for the forecast for Wales against England. The starting position is also clearly in favour of Gareth Southgate’s team.
With a 6-2 win over Iran in their opening match, even a defeat against Wales in their last group match is enough for England to secure a place in the last 16. Only the winner of the parallel match would move past the Three Lions, while Wales would need a victory with a four-goal difference to overtake their big neighbours.
A defensive approach by the English, who last played 0-0 against the USA for the twelfth time in World Cup history, is accordingly obvious. We therefore see a lot of value in betting that no goal will be scored before minute 28:00.
Wales – Statistics & current form
The Welsh national football team has qualified for a World Cup finals for only the second time since 1958, but is still waiting for its first win in a World Cup group match (four draws, one defeat). Now they are looking for their first World Cup win against their big neighbours.
In the run-up to the match between Wales and England, however, the betting odds are clearly against the Dragons, who have so far failed to convince against either the USA (1:1) or Iran (0:2) and have thus continued their recent drought.
Haven’t won in seven consecutive internationals
For the first time since a spell between May and November 2003, the Welsh side have gone winless in seven consecutive international matches (two draws, five defeats). As a result, coach Rob Page has also come in for criticism, having lost five matches in his first 23 internationals (ten wins, eight draws).
In addition, the team’s forward play has faltered recently. Having always scored in twelve consecutive international matches, the Welsh Dragons have gone goalless in two of their last three games. The only exception: the penalty goal against the USA on matchday one.
Little impetus from superstar Gareth Bale
Engagingly linked to Wales’ negative run is the poor form of captain Gareth Bale. The 33-year-old did score from the spot against the USA. Overall, however, the five-time Champions League winner had the fewest ball contacts of all the Welsh players who played the full 90 minutes in the first two group matches (34 against the USA, 36 against Iran) and only scored twice – once from the penalty spot.
Given that the Dragons have lost all of their last six internationals against England and have scored only one goal in that time frame, there is little to suggest that the Welsh can come away with a win, let alone a sensational place in the last 16.
Predicted Wales line-up:
Ward – Williams – Davies – Rodon – Mepham – Roberts – Wilson – Ampadu – Ramsey – Bale – Moore
Last matches played by Wales:
World Cup Group B
25/11/2022 – Wales 0 – 2 Iran
22/11/2022 – USA 1 – 1 Wales
UEFA Nations League A Grp. 4
26/09/2022 – Wales 0 – 1 Poland
23/09/2022 – Belgium 2 – 1 Wales
15/06/2022 – Netherlands 3 – 2 Wales
England – Statistics & current form
The England national football team is also going through a not too successful phase. All the more reason why their commanding opening victory at the 2022 World Cup was a balm for their supporters’ souls, as the Three Lions dispatched Iran 6-2. It was the first victory for England after six consecutive matches without a win (three draws, three defeats).
However, the joy did not last long. Already on Friday evening, Gareth Southgate’s team was very tame in the goalless draw against the USA and played only 0-0 (record) for the twelfth time at a World Cup finals.
Comfortable starting position in third group match
However, the Three Lions still lead Group B and should be very safe going into the last 16. In the parallel match between Iran and the USA, the winner of the match could move past Southgate’s team, which would remain ahead of the Dragons even in the event of a 3-0 defeat against neighbouring Wales due to the higher weighting of goal difference.
Consequently, England can afford the luxury of taking it easy in this final group game and waiting for Wales to come and open up the spaces. Against this backdrop, there is much to suggest that Wales v England will be a potentially tough, low-scoring game.
Harry Kane yet to score an international goal from play in 2022
In many respects, the record is in favour of the 1966 World Cup champions, with England unbeaten in their third group game in 12 of 14 World Cup finals (seven wins, five draws) and having never lost to another British nation in three major tournaments (two wins, one draw).
Meanwhile, whether the forward play picks up after a dogged 0-0 draw with the USA will depend on whether Harry Kane finally arrives in the tournament. After scoring a record 16 international goals in the 2021 calendar year, the 29-year-old is currently only on three goals in ten internationals in 2022, all of which came from penalties…
Predicted England line-up:
Pickford – Shaw – Maguire – Stones – Trippier – Rice – Bellingham – Sterling – Mount – Saka – Kane
Last matches played by England:
World Cup Group B
26/11/2022 – England 0 – 0 USA
21/11/2022 – England 6 – 2 Iran
UEFA Nations League A Grp. 3
27/09/2022 – England 3 – 3 Germany
24/09/2022 – Italy 1 – 0 England
15/06/2022 – England 0 – 4 Hungary
Wales – England Direct comparison / H2H record
Head to head: 14 – 21 – 68
The neighbourly duel between Wales and England has already taken place 103 times and with 68 victories the Three Lions lead the direct comparison very clearly. Most recently, England won six games in a row against the Dragons by a total of 11 goals to 1.
Wales – England Tip
The bookmakers’ odds on Wales against England are clearly in favour of the Three Lions, who, however, showed very different faces in their first two matches. While in the first match the reigning European runners-up played their hearts out and gave Iran no chance in a 6-2 win, the tough performance against the USA was the team that went winless in six international matches in a row before the World Cup (three draws, three defeats) and was relegated from the Nations League.
However, things have not been going well for the Dragons either. Wales are winless in seven internationals (two draws, five defeats) and have scored just one goal in their last three games, so predicting a not too high-scoring game in Wales v England is very interesting.
With the Dragons in the driving seat and England able to take things slowly, we have three units at Bet365 on no goals before 28:00
