England vs Spain Women's Euro 2022: This Could Be the Game of the Tournament

• This is a meeting between the two pre-tournament favorites to lift the trophy

• England, the host nation, finished top of Group A with a 100 percent record

• Spain were the runners-up in Group B after losing one of their three games

England vs Spain Odds

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England vs Spain Pick

This could be one of the games of the tournament and we fancy the hosts to come out on top – find out why by reading the rest of our in-depth preview.

Back England to beat Spain (+110) at FanDuel

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So Far, so Good for England but This Is Toughest Challenge

England were second only to Spain in the pre-tournament betting charts, so in some ways it is a shame that two giants are meeting as early as the quarter-final. This promises to be a fascinating encounter, though, and it is notable that the sportsbooks now give England the edge. That is in part down to their own performance in the group phase of the Women’s Euro 2022, and in part down to Spain’s showings so far. We will start with the first of those.

The Lionesses began with a 1-0 victory over Austria in the opening game of the competition. The margin of victory was slender but England were deserved winners, with their opponents unable to fashion many chances of note. It was a mature display from Sarina Wiegman’s women, although it did not generate as many headlines as France’s 5-1 thumping of Italy or Germany’s 4-0 demolition of Denmark.

England showed they are also capable of inflicting heavy defeats on matchday two, as they destroyed Norway 8-0. It was a fabulous display from the host nation, who not only managed to put eight goals past decent opponents but also kept Ada Hegerberg and Caroline Graham Hansen – two of the best forwards in the women’s game – quiet throughout. England rounded off the group stage with a more predictable thrashing, beating Northern Ireland 5-0 in Southampton.

England are one of only two teams (Germany are the other) yet to concede a goal at this tournament. That defensive solidity is not as eye-catching as attacking flair, but it may yet prove to be more important. If England are to win this tournament, they will have to beat three very good teams in the knockout phase. A resolute backline would go a long way to helping them do that.

Spain’s Inefficiency in Attack Could Prove Their Undoing

In the end, Spain won their first group game pretty comfortably – but falling behind after just 49 seconds was not part of Jorge Vilda’s plan. His side turned on the style thereafter to beat Finland 4-1, but that was never going to be the match that defined how Group B went for La Roja.

Their biggest test came on matchday two, when Spain faced Germany. This was in effect a match between the traditional power of women’s soccer in Europe and the new kids on the block: Germany have won this tournament eight times but appeared to be past their best, while Spain have never lifted the trophy but are on the way up. It was they who had more possession and took more shots, but Germany were deserved 2-0 winners.

Spain booked their place in the quarter-finals by beating Denmark 1-0 in their final group game. They never really looked like losing and were in control for most of the game, while a draw would have been enough for Spain to advance anyway. Nevertheless, the winning goal did not arrive until the 90th minute, as the substitute Marta Cardona finally broke Denmark’s resolve.

Inefficiency in the final third is the biggest question mark surrounding the Spain men’s team ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and a similar issue is threatening to bedevil the women’s side too.

First Goal Could Be Crucial and England Have the Advantage

This is a match where the first goal feels like it could be crucial. If Spain were to score it, their ability to dominate possession will come into its own. Having the ball can be a defensive tactic as much as an attacking one. Roared on by the home crowd, England might start making rash decisions and give Spain the chance to add a second. That is certainly what Vilda will be hoping for.

If England open the scoring, they will have the ability to control the match. Unlike Spain, they are likely to do so by ceding possession rather than keeping it. Wiegman would instruct her players to form a compact, disciplined shape without the ball, before launching quick counters when possession changes hands. Spain, for all their technical quality, do not always excel at turning possession into clear-cut chances.

Whereas England have scored nine first-half goals at this tournament to date, Spain have found the net just twice in the opening 45 minutes. With most fans inside the Falmer Stadium supporting the hosts, Wiegman will encourage her players to make a fast start. If England can get their noses in front, victory is there for the taking – and we fancy them to do it. Back the Lionesses to beat La Roja on Wednesday.

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