Sweden made a huge surprise reaching the last eight of the 2018 World Cup, while England expectedly made it to the Quarter-Finals. These two teams will face each other on Saturday, July 7th, 2018, at Samara Arena to decide who will play in the Semi-Finals, and the bettors can expect a great battle between two disciplined and tactically well-prepared sides.
Sweden vs. England
3-Way: 1: Sweden +375; X: +240 Draw; 2: England -110 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread +0.5: Sweden +100; England -110
Total +2: Over +100; Under -110
Both Teams to Score Yes/No: +120/-164
SWEDEN
In the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, Sweden recorded two wins and one defeat with a 5:2 goal difference, enough to top the Group F table ahead of Mexico and the defending champions Germany. In the Round of 16, the Blue-Yellow has outplayed Switzerland 1-0 in a very tight clash, but Janne Andersson’s boys fully deserved it with a brave, responsible defending. Sweden lacks creativity in the middle of the park, replacing it with direct passes towards Marcus Berg and Ola Toivonen in the final third.
Sweden is a limited team, but they are completely aware of their flaws, so the Blue-Yellow doesn’t try anything impossible, rarely taking risks throughout the game. The captain Andreas Granqvist is a pure leader at the back, playing in a great form in this tournament, while the midfielder Emil Forsberg is the most gifted individual in this Sweden team and his contribution is essential for Blue-Yellow. The experienced right-back Mikael Lustig will have to serve his yellow card suspension, whilst all other players are ready to go.
- Sweden is at +175 to qualify for the last four
- Sweden is at +700 to reach the Final
- Sweden is a +2500 underdog to win the title in Russia
ENGLAND
The Three Lions were at the brink of elimination in the Round of 16 match with Colombia, as Jordan Henderson was the first to miss in the penalty shootout, but thanks to Jordan Pickford’s stopes England managed to overcome Los Cafeteros and reach the last eight for the first time since 2006. The last time England reached the Semi-Final was in Italy 1990, so Three Lions are certainly keen to prove their worth at the 2018 World Cup, particularly as rarely who expected anything from them.
England is one of the youngest teams in this tournament, but the manager Gareth Southgate believed in these guys, making a homogeneous totality where every player knows his duties. The captain Harry Kane is a great danger at the front, bagging six goals at the 2018 World Cup so far, and he’s at -334 to win the Golden Boot in Russia. Jordan Henderson is the key player in the middle of the park, while John Stones orchestrates the defensive line. Gareth Southgate misses a true playmaker in the squad, so he insists on quick counter-attacks and a direct style of play.
- England is at -225 to qualify for the Semi-Final
- England is a +150 favorite to play in the Final
- England is at +400 to beat the 2018 World Cup
Sweden vs. England – Match and Odds Breakdown
The bookmakers expect to see a tight game with no more than a couple of goals in the total, setting -200 odds on the over 2.5 goals in this one, while the price on both teams to score is +120. Sweden relies on a sturdy defense, so the Blue-Yellow will probably take a cautious approach, while England should have the ball in possession, controlling the tempo in the middle of the park.
With a potential patient approach on both sides, a draw at the halftime looks like a nice wager with -105 wages. If the bettors want to get some greater wages, they will have to lay some risky bets. It seems like England is a stronger side than Sweden, but covering the spread at -1.5 with +255 odds could be a tricky wager.
I will go with Three Lions here, although I think it would be a great battle where everything is possible, while the bettors can check out all lines and markets on BetDSI Sportsbook.
The Pick: England (-110)
Additional Pick: Draw at HT (-105)
