With the kickoff of the second World Cup semifinal fast approaching, Vladislav Tchakarov is tasked with creating a winning bet builder for England's historic clash with Argentina on Wednesday night.
England vs Argentina, Wednesday (20:00)
Never before in World Cup history have the top four teams in the world rankings reached the semifinals. This shows just how high the level of the top teams is, even though there were quite a few moments when that wasn’t apparent.
Nevertheless, we are in for a historic match between England and Argentina, who have faced each other five times at World Cups in the past. The Three Lions still lead the head-to-head tally with three wins, but the last time these two nations met was way back in 2002.
Argentina To Qualify
Neither Argentina nor England were convincing in their quarter-final clashes, but both teams found a way to win. The Three Lions could have been out if not for Norway's poor decision-making. England needed a full 90 minutes to get their rhythm, and really showed their best side in extra time.
Argentina were also struggling to beat Switzerland in regulation, but Embolo's red card turned the tide in their favour, and led to two goals in Extra time.
A semi-final between two of the world's four best national teams can always go either way, but we believe Argentina are more mentally prepared to reach the final. Also, we must note that La Albiceleste have never lost a semi-final in five previous attempts.
Lionel Messi To Score Or Assist
Lionel Messi was not at his best against Switzerland, although he gave the assist for Mac Allister's opening goal. Still, it was far from a stellar performance from Messi, although Switzerland's tactical decisions certainly made it harder for him to move freely.
And although England are a far superior side than the Red Crosses, we expect to see more from Messi against them. The Three Lions haven't been at their best defensively, and Messi should be able to exploit any gaps or mistakes.
England vs Argentina: Both Teams To Score
Based on what we've seen from the two teams, it feels inevitable that there will be goals on both ends. Argentina conceded against all four previous opponents – Jordan (1), Cape Verde (2), Egypt (2), and Switzerland (1).
An offence led by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham should have enough firepower to do what far smaller teams have done in recent weeks. As for La Albiceleste, it often took them a while to find their rhythm, but once they do, you can rely on them to score at least once.
Moreover, Argentina failed to score in only two of their last 50 matches, which is incredible.
Recommended Bet:
- Argentina To Qualify
- Lionel Messi To Score Or Assist
- Both Teams To Score
- Bet Builder: 15/4 (Bet365)
Vladislav has been professionally engaged in freelance journalism for seven years and has worked with numerous leading sports publications. A football and martial arts fanatic, he spent years training in both disciplines before turning to writing.
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