The bookmakers are pretty sure they know who will finish in top two in the Group G at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, as both England and Belgium are apparently far better teams than Tunisia or Panama, so the first round games will tell us are they right or wrong. On Monday, June 18th, 2018, Tunisia meets England at Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, and Three Lions are huge -303 favorites to win the match, although they are well-known as regular underachievers on the biggest tournaments. The bettors should look out at this clash, as it could turn out as a key one in Group G.
Tunisia vs. England
3-Way: 1: Tunisia +900; X: +375 Draw; 2: England -303 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread +1.5: Tunisia -156; England +120
Total +2.5: Over +110; Under -143
Both Teams to Score Yes/No: +150/-200
TUNISIA
The Eagles of Carthage will be a part of the FIFA World Cup for the fifth time in their history, while they’ve never managed to reach the second round, winning just one out of their twelve World Cup games. However, Tunisia had a 4-2-0 record with an 11:4 goal difference in their qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup, while they were beaten only once in their last ten games overall, losing to Morocco 1-0. In the last two friendly encounters, the Eagles of Carthage have earned a couple of identical 2-2 stalemates against Portugal and Turkey, so their fans are pretty excited about their odds in Russia this summer.
The Bookies favor Tunisia to end the tournament in the group stage, setting the wages at -600, while the price on Tunisia to reach the knock-out phase is at +400. Tunisians will be without their best player Youssef Msakni, as the talented striker is ruled out for the World Cup due to a knee injury, so the attacking midfielder Wahbi Khazri will lead the side in Russia. The skillful Naim Sliti should provide creativity for the Eagles of Carthage who mostly play in a 4-5-1 formation, using their pace and high pressure as the main force to prevent the rival’s attack, while preferring a direct-passing style of play.
ENGLAND
The one-time World Cup champions from 1966 are upsetting their fans since then, as only in Italy 1990 England managed to reach the Semi-Finals, while in Brazil 2014 the Three Lions finished bottom of their group with just one point earned which was their worst record ever. After a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Iceland in the EURO 2016 Round of 16, a former international Gareth Southgate took the helm and decided to bring some youthful energy into the national team. This time, England will have the third-youngest squad at the World Cup, while all their 23 players are based in the English Premier League, and these guys were beaten only once in their last ten games, losing to France 3-2 in the friendly match.
Gareth Southgate also brought in some innovations into the team’s style of play, and the most interesting is a three-man defensive line, while full-backs are constantly trying to overlap and make runs into the final third. England lacks a pure playmaker, so Southgate likes to play with a hard-working midfield where Jordan Henderson and Eric Dier are key players. The most of creativity comes from Harry Kane who’s arguably the most gifted player in this England team. Kane is a versatile forward capable of doing a lot of things on the field, but primarily, he’s a lethal goalscorer. Kane’s teammate form Tottenham Dele Alli will provide help in the final third along with Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling, so England possesses an interesting frontline.
Tunisia vs. England – Match and Odds Breakdown
After a long time, England’s players are coming to the World Cup without a big pressure on their shoulders, but this starting game against Tunisia already looks like a crucial one for their future in Russia. With mighty Belgium and underdogs Panama in the competition, the clash between Tunisia and England could easily decide who will come through from these two teams. On a paper, the three Lions are certainly a stronger side than Eagles of Carthage who will need to bring their best game if they want to stay unbeaten here.
The key factor should be England’s offensive play, and if Three Lions manage to cope with Tunisia’s pace, they should create some scoring chances and get a couple of goals. Otherwise, they could struggle to find the net, so betting on the spread sounds tricky on this one, as England could easily win with a single-goal margin. Betting on the totals and backing the over can get some attractive wages, and it makes sense because the potential opening goal will open the flow of the game. Both sides will desperately look to avoid the loss here, so whoever gets behind will be in a big trouble.
I believe in this new England team, so I’ll go with the spread, but the bettors should check out all betting options and wages on Bet DSI Sportsbook and find what suits them.
The Pick: England AH -1.5 (+120)
