Overview
England and Italy have long been considered to be two of Europe’s top national sides. At this year’s World Cup, the two sides will find themselves in Group D alongside Uruguay and Costa Rica. On June 14th in Manaus, Italy and England will renew their storied rivalry in what will be one of the more pivotal games of Group D.
England, as is always the case, have enough talent and depth to not only make a run in Group D, but also make a run through the latter stages of this summer’s competition. Italy also boasts an extreme level of skill and depth, but they will need to play up to their known ability if they want to be taken seriously as a World Cup contender.
Team Italy (2/1)
Betfair is currently listing Italy at 2:1 odds of walking away with all three points from their opening Group D match. While most people are simply counting England out of this match, such is not the case in my mind. If you look at Italy’s most recent run of form there is definitely some cause for concern, most notably the draw with Luxembourg.
As has been the case with the Italian national team since their impressive World Cup 2006 performance, consistency seems to be almost entirely lacking. The Italians will put on an impressive performance one night, but will crumble at the hand of significantly weaker opponents barely more than a few days later.
If Italy are able to overcome their biggest enemy, themselves, they will have a significantly better chance of not only beating England in their opening match, but also of making a deep run in this summer’s tournament. Compared to precious World Cup teams, this Italian side is youthful and looking to prove themselves in their tough group.
Team England (2/1)
England are always interesting to talk about, especially when it comes to their participation in the World Cup competition. Like Italy, England are almost always well-equipped enough to make a deep run in a massive tournament like this. Every English player with the exception of one plays his professional football in England, so there should be no shortage of comradery both on the pitch and in the dressing room for the English.
Aging stars like Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, and Frank Lampard will look to provide guidance for their younger protégés, many of which have never played in a tournament as massive as the World Cup. England are, as always, more than well-equipped to handle their group opponents, but there is no saying whether or not they will actually come to perform.
Conclusion
When this match does finally play out, I personally think that England will walk away with all three points. A draw is an ever-lingering possibility, but I think this is the year where England finally make the breakthrough. With the weight of their country’s expectations on their shoulders, England have little choice but to come out of the gate firing.
FINAL PICK: I envision England tallying 2 goals en route to a 2-0 or 2-1 victory.
100% up to $3,000 Bonus
Bovada is our most recommended ONLINE CASINO and POKER ROOM for US players with excellent deposit options. Get your 100% signup bonus today.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.