England will take on Costa Rica on Wednesday afternoon, giving Thomas Tuchel one more look at his squad before it begins its World Cup adventure against Croatia in Dallas on June 17.
The top priority for England will be to escape this match in Orlando without any injuries, but Tuchel does have some decisions to make with his lineup, so you can expect the German manager to approach this friendly with as much zest as he does with any other contest.
The Three Lions are -140 favorites on the three-way moneyline for this World Cup warmup.
England vs. Costa Rica odds, prediction
England last played on Saturday, defeating New Zealand 1-0 in a match that felt like a friendly. Tuchel completely rotated his squad at halftime in that tilt, as he was clearly just trying to spread minutes around in order to get his roster on the same page.
The expectation is for Tuchel to take a more serious approach to Wednesday’s showdown with Los Ticos.
Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, who were given an extended break after playing in the Champions League Final on May 30, are expected to play big minutes, and they’re likely to be joined by the rest of Tuchel’s preferred starting XI, at least for the first half.
Costa Rica isn’t going to the World Cup, so you can expect them to relish the opportunity to knock England down a few pegs before the tournament begins. Los Ticos were disappointing during CONCACAF qualifying, but they’re known for playing a physical brand of soccer that puts an emphasis on being tough to break down.
On one hand, it’s a good thing for England to get a look at a side that will sit deep and defend since they’ll face plenty of that style in the group stage, but it’s also not going to be an easy day at the office for Tuchel’s side, especially since the weather is expected to be a nightmare.
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Forecasts are calling for highs close to 90 degrees with plenty of humidity and some rain during the match.
As much as Tuchel will want this match to simulate a World Cup tilt, it’s probably going to be scrappy, and England will want it to end as quickly as possible.
Same-game parlay: England to win & Under 2.5 goals (+240, DraftKings)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
