The quick qualification for the knockout round beckons for England as they get ready face the United States of America The day after Thanksgiving, the knowledge of three more points would guarantee a place in the round of 16. Indeed, winning the opening two games in this most grueling World Cup of all could offer Gareth Southgate the opportunity to rotate in the final game against Wales where a point would suffice.
That could mean England, who saw quite a bit of excitement at the World Cup against the USMNT, can overtake themselves. A 1-0 defeat in 1950 was so unexpected that some in the UK believed reports from Brazil contained a typo in the result, while a 1-1 draw in 2010 was a devastating start to a disastrous World Cup. Here are our stories, how to watch the game and more:
How to see and odds
- date: Friday 25 September | time: 2 p.m. ET
- location: Al Bayt Stadium – Al Khor
- TV: Fox and Telemundo | Live broadcast: fuboTV (try for free)
- Opportunities: England -182; Draw +300; US +500 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
English storylines
Fears that Harry Kane suffered a hit to the ankle in Monday’s 6-2 win against Iran appear to have receded and if the England captain is fit Southgate could well be tempted to stay with the eleven , who started the tournament so impressively. Likewise, Kyle Walker is also working his way back to fitness, offering deeper options in the backline, and it’s now only James Maddison struggling for fitness.
Southgate is expected to stick to the 4-3-3 system he used in the opener, allowing England to face off against a midfield which is a relative strength for the USA, but with one less central defender the pressure is on on defense after conceding two sloppy goals in a convincing win. England have only kept two clean sheets in 2022 and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford said: “As a whole team we want to keep a clean sheet because we know how important they are in tournament football. We were 4-0 up and really conceded an easy goal. They got a penalty that was a bit indifferent. They will never be happy to concede and we will build on USA and hopefully concede.”
Listen and follow below In Soccer We Trust: A CBS Sports Soccer Podcast where your three favorite former USMNT players cover all things related to the beautiful game regarding the United States.
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England are by far the superior side and if they are anywhere near the level they achieved on Monday this should be a comfortable win. Choose: England 2, United States 0
