(Photo by CARL RECINE / POOL / AFP)

World Cup Group B Matchday 3 Odds, Preview, and Betting Tips

Wales must beat England to have any chance of progressing on Tuesday, while the Three Lions know they have a foot in the round of 16 despite a flat performance in a goalless draw against the US.

Iran’s defeat of Wales has put them in a strong position but a grudge match with the United States makes the World Cup Group B matchday 3 odds tough to call for both upcoming group games.

New UK customers only. Register using the promo code BETFRED60, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £20 in Free Bets to be used on Sports, £10 in Free Bets to be used on Lotto and 50 Free Spins (20p per spin) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Further £20 in Free Bets credited 5 days after settlement. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required.
+18 only. Gamble responsibly

Wales v England

Date and time: 29/11/2022, 1900 KO
Venue: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium (Al Rayyan)
Broadcast: BBC

Wales have struggled badly in their first appearance at the World Cup for 64 years, with two late Iran goals consigning them to a 2-0 defeat and almost certainly an early exit from the tournament.

Rob Page will have to make a change in goal after a wild challenge by stopper Wayne Hennessey saw him shown a red card, with Danny Ward expected to come in and take the gloves.

Page is under pressure to replace one of his star midfielders with Aaron Ramsey having made a minimal impression on the tournament so far. Joe Allen could be fit enough to step in but the midfielder has been battling an injury and may need to be used off the bench again.

Kieffer Moore was the gamechanger off the bench in Wales’ opening group game against the US but he could be dropped again after he missed a good early chance in the defeat to Iran.

The picture for England is straightforward even though they were below par in Friday’s draw against the American outfit. Only a heavy defeat to Wales would see England have to fly home early.

Wales and England last met competitively at Euro 2016, when Gareth Bale put his team ahead only for Jamie Vardy to equalise, with Daniel Sturridge striking a late winner for the Three Lions.

England are heavy favourites in the World Cup Group B matchday 3 betting odds despite that dire display against the United States. Wales needing a big win means they will likely have to commit more players in attack than in either of their group games so far, leaving gaps for England to exploit.

With Iran able to punish Wales, it is hard to imagine how they can get a result in this decisive game. England to score in both halves is tempting at 5/4 with 888Sport, which has 11/10 on England to be winning the game at both half-time and full-time.

+18 only. Gamble responsibly

The 23/20 on England to win to nil is another decent alternative, with the handicap markets another good way to side with the favourites in the World Cup Group B matchday 3 betting odds. England -1 is priced up at a value 23/20 with 888Sport.

Iran v United States

Date and time: 29/11/2022, 1900 KO
Venue: Al Bayt Stadium (Al Khor)
Broadcast: ITV

Iran know they will make it through to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time in their history if they beat United States, who need to win to book their place in the round of 16. This game is therefore a straight shootout between two nations with a lot of mutual historical enmity.

Although defensive deficiencies were exposed in their opening group game against England, Iran recovered in style to beat Wales and boost their qualification hopes. They have scored twice in both matches so far, so the American defence is likely to be in for a tough task in Tuesday’s meeting.

Iran’s coach Carlos Quieroz is one of the smartest coaches in the game and he has put together a surprisingly effective team, which is led by the Porto striker Mehdi Taremi. While the goals against Wales came from elsewhere, Taremi did provide the assist for Ramin Rezaeian’s late clincher to continue his strong start to Qatar 2022. He is good value at 14/5 with 888Sport to score any time.

The US were impressive against England and arguably deserved more than a single point. They had the best chances in the game and midfielder Winston McKennie should have scored from close range. Coach Gregg Berhalter has faced criticism for his tactics at times but he got them spot on against England, who had no answer to the way the American midfield pressed ferociously.

+18 only. Gamble responsibly

Goals could be a problem for the US, though, with just one goal in two group games showing they lack confidence in the final third. For this reason, it is hard to see why they have been favourites in the World Cup Group B matchday 3 betting odds. Iran’s double chance odds of 5/6 with 888Sport appear to be better value than backing the Americans to win the game. A draw could be enough to send Iran through as long as Wales do not beat England, so Quieroz will have this in mind too. With so much at stake, a close game is likely with under 2.5 goals recommended at 4/6 with 888Sport.

Author: Jamie Smith