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After the opening game on Sunday, there will be three matches to enjoy at World Cup 2022 on Monday.
Can England get the job done against Iran? Might Senegal spring a surprise against the Netherlands? And will the USA get off to a winning start against Wales?
In this article we have picked out three recommended prop bets. For those new to sports betting, a prop bet is a wager on a particular outcome within the game that does not have an effect on the overall result. In soccer, examples include both teams to score and over 2.5 goals.
The odds for November 21 are supplied by the DraftKings Sportsbook. Sign up today to get a deposit bonus up to $1000.
England’s preparation for World Cup 2022 has not been ideal. Results have been mixed since the Three Lions lost the final of last summer’s European Championship, culminating in relegation to League B in the most recent edition of the Nations League.
Even so, it would be a huge shock if England failed to make it out of Group B. A meeting with Iran in their first match represents a kind start, even if Team Melli could make life difficult for one of the pre-tournament favorites with their dogged defending.
Because Iran will sit deep and pack men behind the ball, Gareth Southgate might be tempted to select players like Jack Grealish and Phil Foden who can supply guile and invention in tight spaces in the final third.
Harry Kane is guaranteed to start, but Southgate may instruct him to avoid dropping deep - something he does to great effect at Tottenham Hotspur - and instead base himself almost exclusively in and around the penalty area. Kane is the favorite to be World Cup 2022 top scorer and his lethal finishing makes him a good pick to find the back of the net anytime in this match.
In Japan and South Korea 20 years ago, Senegal became only the second African nation in World Cup history to reach the quarter-finals. The reigning continental champions have been tipped as possible dark horses in Qatar and they will be looking to cause a minor upset when they take on the Netherlands in Monday’s second fixture.
Their chances of a win on matchday one have taken a major hit, however. A key official within the Senegalese Football Federation has confirmed that Sadio Mane, the team’s talisman, will miss this game through injury. The Bayern Munich forward might not even be fit to face Qatar on November 25.
Even with Mane, Senegal’s major strength is their defense rather than their attack. There are two further reasons why they might struggle to get at the Netherlands backline. One is the fact that Louis van Gaal’s side are adept at keeping the ball, so Senegal will only have limited possession.
Secondly, a three-man backline marshaled by Virgil van Dijk will be difficult to get past on the occasions the Lions of Teranga are able to get the ball into the final third. Back the Dutch to keep a clean sheet.
With England expected to finish in first place in Group B and Iran the favorites with the best online sportsbooks to finish bottom, the final game on Monday could go a long way to determining which of the USA or Wales makes it through to the knockout phase.
It will be interesting to see how the two managers, Gregg Berhalter and Rob Page, approach the situation. If the score is level heading into the closing stages, would one or both of them be willing to take a risk in search of all three points? Or would they be happy to settle for a point?
Neutrals will hope for an early goal at the Al Rayyan Stadium. That would open the game up and ensure that one side must chase down the other. If either the USA or Wales does make a breakthrough early on, we could be in store for a thrilling encounter.
It is true that Berhalter’s side have at times struggled to score on foreign soil, but there is attacking quality in the ranks with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Brenden Aaronson. Go for over 2.5 goals here.
Greg Lea is a freelance soccer journalist from London. He is the former editor of The Set Pieces, and has contributed to the Guardian, FourFourTwo, and ESPN. A Crystal Palace fan, he is a long-time subscriber to the belief that it's the taking part that counts. Email: [email protected]
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