After delivering a winning combination on Saturday, SlipsTips shares a Bet Builder ahead of England’s friendly fixture with Costa Rica on Wednesday night.
England vs Costa Rica, Wednesday (21:00)
England conclude their World Cup preparations with a friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday night.
Thomas Tuchel's side will be looking for a more convincing display after being made to work hard for a 1-0 victory over New Zealand on Saturday.
Costa Rica, meanwhile, failed to qualify for this summer's tournament and therefore have no World Cup commitments on the horizon.
England Win
For the first leg of this three-leg Bet Builder, I'm backing England to win the match. While the Three Lions were far from their best against New Zealand on Saturday, they still found a way to get the job done. That has been a recurring theme under Thomas Tuchel's tutorship, with his team tending to win in efficient rather than eye-catching fashion.
Moreover, England also hold an impressive recent record, having won nine of their last 11 matches in all competitions, including a perfect eight wins from eight during their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Costa Rica, meanwhile, head into this encounter on the back of a 3-1 defeat to Colombia, and Wednesday's test looks even tougher against England.
BTTS No
I backed England to win to nil on Saturday, and I’m more than happy to side with the same selection in Orlando on Wednesday night.
Thomas Tuchel has tightened up England’s defence, which was particularly evident during their qualifying campaign, where they recorded eight wins from eight without conceding a single goal. That defensive solidity has also been on show in friendly fixtures over the last 12 months or so, with England shutting out the likes of Wales and New Zealand.
As for Costa Rica, they failed to score in three of their final four World Cup qualifiers, including a goalless draw with Honduras. Since then, they have been thumped 5-0 by Iran in a friendly, so it is difficult to envisage them troubling England’s well-drilled defence too much.
Under 4.5 Goals
I’m going to round off the Bet Builder with under 4.5 goals. Despite boasting a wealth of attacking talent, England don’t tend to blow opponents away. That’s reflected in the fact that six of their eight qualifying victories featured four goals or fewer. The same pattern has also been evident in their friendly wins over Wales and New Zealand, and another controlled, professional performance is expected from the Three Lions in Florida on Wednesday night.
Packaged up together, this Bet Builder will bring about a 4/5 play that looks like good value.
Recommended Bets
- England Win
- BTTS No
- Under 4.5 Goals
- Bet Builder – 4/5 (bet365)
Grant Heaney, aka SlipsTips, is a Freelance Football and Darts Writer with over six years experience. Grant has written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. He is a Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. You can find all of his tips on X @SlipsTips
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