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England vs Belgium 2018 World Cup Third Place Betting Preview

England vs Belgium 2018 World Cup Third Place Betting Preview

Written by on July 13, 2018

Soccer News and Betting Previews| Xbet.ag
Belgium and England meet for a second time at this World Cup, as the group rivals now play for the bronze in St. Petersburg. England took a difficult 2-1 loss in extra time against Croatia in their semifinal, while Belgium fell to France, 1-0, in their semifinal. This will definitely have a different tenor than the group play match. In that game, both teams were guaranteed to advance to the knockout rounds — and both seemed to want to lose, as losing put them on the easier side of the draw. Belgium won, 1-0, but England’s side featured a lot of reserves. This is also odd because both teams are coming off difficult and frustrating losses — the third-place game is something of a rarity in tournament play because of the anticlimax involved. We’ve got a 2018 World Cup betting preview of this match for you to peruse as you think about how to wager.

England vs Belgium 2018 World Cup Third Place Betting Preview

When: Saturday, July 14, 2018, 10:00am ET Where: St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg TV: FOX Radio: None Live Stream: fuboTV 2018 World Cup Odds for Third Place: Belgium +125 / Draw +250 / England +220 / O/U 2.5

Why should you bet on England?

England got off to a solid start against Croatia in the semifinal, drawing a foul just outside the penalty area and then seeing Kieran Trippier wind a terrific free kick into the top corner, taking the lead in just the fifth minute. However, that was all England could muster — not even another shot on goal. Harry Kane has not put a shot on goal since the Colombia match in the round of 16, and that was a penalty kick. England has a steady defense and a terrific goalkeeper in Jordan Pickford, but unless their offense steps up, the Red Devils will run all over them. It is true that England has won 15 of the last 22 matches between the teams, drawing five and losing just two — and you could argue that Gareth Southgate has put together a system that has England playing far above where they should be, given their offensive limitations. There are also some intangibles in play here, such as the frustration that the Belgians will feel after having lost to France, and the pressure that they will put on themselves to beat England a second time.

Why should you bet on Belgium?

The Red Devils definitely have the advantage as far as offensive talent, with Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard up front, and they also have Vincent Kompany keying their defense. However, that trio could not break through against France, as Belgium put up a big goose egg in that semifinal against France. You could look at this as motivation for those three to go on a tear against England. Those three should be able to find space and run a tired England defense — which needed extra time against Colombia and then went the full time against Croatia — ragged. Belgium outpossessed France 60-40 in the semifinal but was outshot 19-9 (5-3 on target). What that indicates is that France scored their goal and then sat back in a defensive shell (which is largely true) and that Belgium had a hard time finishing possession against the French defense. England also has a tough defense, but they don’t have the scoring options up top to keep Belgium honest in the way that France did. If you’re going with the talent on the pitch, the pick here is the Red Devils.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

I tend to stay away from third-place games myself, because you don’t know the mental state of the two sides, and the “prize” (a bronze medal) isn’t what either team had in mind when the semifinals started. I see Belgium’s talent advantage showing here, as the Red Devils will overwhelm a tired English side, 2-0, and complete the best showing in Belgian history at the World Cup.
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