England v Spain: Close contest on cards in Women’s World Cup final
England v Spain: Close contest on cards in Women’s World Cup final
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Women’s World Cup final: England Women v Spain Women betting tips
England have the chance to add a World Cup trophy to the European Championship title they won last summer when they face Spain in Sunday’s final in Sydney.
The Lionesses defeated co-hosts Australia 3-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final 24 hours after Spain had edged out Sweden 2-1 in an exciting climax which saw all three goals arrive in the final 10 minutes.
Sarina Wiegman’s side are slight underdogs at 15/8 to win inside 90 minutes as we look at some of the markets and pick out some England Women v Spain Women betting tips.
Selection poser for Wiegman
Both nations arrived Down Under with a cloud hanging over their preparations but stand on the cusp of World Cup glory in this all-European final.
The Lionesses have been without Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead, captain Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby because of injury, but head into Sunday’s final unbeaten, although they have struggled to replicate their performances from last summer
England were lucky to get past Nigeria in the round of 16 when Lauren James was sent off in the 87th minute for walking on the back of prostrate defender Michelle Alozie, but she has served a two-match ban and is available.
James has been one of England’s key players, scoring three goals and providing as many assists, but her replacement Ella Toone struck the opener against the Matildas and the equaliser when the Lionesses beat Spain 2-1 in the Euro 2022 quarter-finals.
England may have lost some of their best players in the build-up to the tournament, but that was nothing compared with Spain, who were surprisingly thrashed 4-0 by Japan during the group stage with a place in the knockout stage already assured for both nations.
Fifteen players signed identical letters in September 2022, supported publicly by skipper Irene Paredes, Jennifer Hermoso and Alexia Putellas, saying they would not play for the national team again unless significant concerns about their “emotional state” and “health” were addressed.
The mutiny centred around the methods of head coach Jorge Vilda, who was backed by the Spanish FA and although three players returned to the fold, there has been an uneasy truce in operation.
Vilda has been on the periphery of post-match celebrations with the Spanish players, who had never won a World Cup knockout match before their arrival Down Under, but their high-pressing and possession-based game in a 4-3-3 formation has proved a winning formula.
Statistically, Spain have outperformed England in most departments at this year’s World Cup.
They have scored 17 goals to the Lionesses’ 13, having attempted considerably more shots (143 to 81), passes (4,137 to 3,605), crosses (214 to 129) and ball progressions (181 to 99) than their final opponents.
Wiegman’s side have only occasionally found the form that carried them to the Euro 2022 title – when they scored 22 goals in six matches – and have instead relied on their defensive resilience to progress.
Lionesses mean girls in defence
England have conceded only three times from 64 efforts on Mary Earps’ goal, while Spain have proved more susceptible having shipped seven goals from just 36 shots faced.
A close contest looks in prospect and we fancy a draw at 2/1 as the first of our England Women v Spain Women betting tips, although the match ending either 0-0 or 1-1 can be backed at 23/10.
The Lionesses were just seven minutes away from being eliminated by Spain at Euro 2022 until Toone latched on to Alessia Russo’s header to volley in an equaliser and send the game into extra time during which Georgia Stanway scored a spectacular winner.
That quarter-final in Brighton was goalless at the break and that was the case in La Roja’s last two matches, 2-1 wins against Netherlands and Sweden, the victory against the Dutch coming in extra time.
With that in mind, a goalless opening 45 minutes is the next of our England Women v Spain Women betting tips at 6/5. The European champions have only once failed to score in the first half Down Under, but they are expected to see less of the ball against the Spaniards and hence produce fewer chances. Draw HT/Draw FT is 3/1.
Vilda’s side did exactly that against the Dutch and the Swedes, and with the Lionesses defence only conceding three times at the World Cup, it could take them a while to break down England’s defence – if at all.
Three Spanish players have scored three times at the World Cup and we go 3/1 on two of them – Jennifer Hermoso and Alba Redondo – to find the net, while the other, Aitana Bonmati, is 5/1. Esther Gonzalez, who opened the scoring against the Lionesses 11 months ago, is the 11/2 favourite from the Spain ranks to break the deadlock or 13/5 to breach England’s defence.
