Getty England are through to the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1990.
Two wins away from coming home.
That’s the feeling in England after the team’s win over Sweden in the World Cup quarterfinals. The Three Lions are back in the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1990, and they’ve got a real chance at the top prize in Russia. They now await the winner of Croatia and hosts Russia, and can look ahead to the possibility of either France or Belgium in the final.
England Semifinal: Date, Time & Location
England will face either Russia or Croatia on July 11th at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. It will kick off at 2 p.m. Eastern, and air on Fox and Telemundo in the United States.
It’ll be a slight preview for the eventual winner, as Luzhniki Stadium is also the site of the final. England has yet to play their, but Russia has already appeared in Luzhniki for their opener as well as their knockout win over Spain.
England Semifinal: Odds & Prediction
England did well to beat Sweden, but it was a mismatch from an odds perspective. Sweden were one of the the biggest underdogs remaining in Russia, but could not muster one more surprise against England. Now England are back in the semifinals for the first time since 1990, seeking a first finals appearance since their only World Cup title in 1966.
England opened the tournament as a modest underdog, priced at 20-1 to win it all. That number is down to +400, as England are just two wins away from bringing the Cup home. England have the best odds on their side of the bracket, but still trail Belgium and France as tournament favorites. That gives the indication that should England reach the final, they’ll be priced as an underdog regardless of opponent.
England have reached this stage by performing at both ends. The goals have been there, though mostly on set pieces. When Delle Alli scored England’s second goal against Sweden, it was just the team’s second goal from open play at the tournament. At the back, Jordan Pickford has been a quiet hero for Gareth Southgate’s squad. Pickford had several massive saves against Sweden, and made the winning penalty save to defeat Colombia.
With one semifinal to play, it’s tough to chart England’s course to the final. A game against Croatia will be much tougher, but there is an element to playing Russia in Moscow that other teams, namely Spain, have found difficult. Still, England are flying high, and have the momentum and skill of a team headed for the final.
Early Prediction: England in the final