Germany(+196)
England vs. Germany EURO 2020 Round of 16 Preview and Best Bet (Archive)
England and Germany are set to collide in the R16 of the 2020 Euros. Find out where the best bets are to be had as we preview this matchup and serve up choice soccer picks.
England vs. Germany
Tuesday, June 29, 2021 – 12:00 PM ET at Wembley Stadium
Germany Squeeze Into Knockouts
Die Mannschafts’ progress through the round robin stage of the 2020 Euros was laborious to say the least, securing passage into the R16 by the skin of their teeth in the final group game and only when Leon Goretzka scored a late equaliser against Hungary that staved off Germany’s elimination from the tournament.
Germany’s campaign got off to a rough start. On matchday one, Joachim Low’s side succumbed to a 1-0 loss to France via an own-goal to the chagrin of thousands of home fans at the Allianz Arena in Munich. On matchday two, the tables turned in Germany’s favour with two own goals scored by Portugal en route to a romping 4-2 victory. It was a frantic affair but a welcome turnaround in Germany’s bid to advance in the knockouts, and it led to a drama-filled setup in the final round of group F action.
Of all the teams in group F – the so-called proverbial group of death that included the reigning World Cup champions France and the defending European champions Portugal – Hungary was the lowest-ranked team in the mix. Thus, it was seen as the weakest on paper and across sports betting sites. However, Hungary didn’t get the memo as such. Instead, they gave Germany the right run for its money and very nearly pulled off the upset against the soccer odds.
Hungary needed a win over Germany to advance into the knockouts and twice they took the initiative in the game to keep hope alive in the tournament. Ádám Szalai got things started with a goal for the Hungarian side in the 11th minute and they held the 1-0 advantage for the rest of the first half. Germany came back in the second half and tied the game 21 minutes in on a strike by Kai Havertz, but Hungary nudged ahead just two minutes later courtesy of András Schäfer in the 68th minute.
With Hungary up 2-1, Germany’s European hopes were fading fast and time was running out quickly, until Goretzka’s strike at the near post found the net in the dying minutes of the game. It was a nerve-biting push towards the finish-line after Germany’s second equaliser and when the final whistle came only then was Germany assured of advancement as the second-placed team in the tournament’s group of death, thereby sending the players and fans into a right tizzy.
England Win Group D
The Three Lions went undefeated in the round-robin stage and clinched group D, putting paid on their favorable pre-tournament odds to win group D. They beat Croatia on matchday 1 and then Czech Republic on matchday three while settling on a draw with Scotland on matchday 2. Gareth Southgate was pleased that his lads were able to deliver on expectations, not to mention the fact that winning group D secured their place at Wembley Stadium for the knockouts, where the Three Lions are going to benefit from the massive home support.
However, if there’s a knockback to be had about England’s performance thus far at the 2020 Euros, it’s that they’ve been the least convincing of the so-called pre-tournament faves according to multiple top sportsbooks. Heck, the were even the least convincing of the quartet in group D, even though the group did finish with few surprises and the predicted suspects advanced (in order of standings): England, Croatia and Czech Republic.
England entered the competition with high expectations and two wins and a draw aren’t results to scoff at. Scoring merely two goals through the group stage though, one against Croatia and one against the Czech Republic leaves something to be desired. Then there’s the fact that the Three Lions were lucky to get away with a draw against Scotland because their northern neighbors thoroughly outplayed and outmuscled them for all of the 90 minutes. In fact, Scotland were hailed the metaphorical winners of that game by the media and multiple soccer analysts and betting experts.
Matchup Predictions and Picks
Both Germany and England have left it late to play a truly convincing and dominant game in the tournament. Obviously, each will need to come up with exactly that kind of performance at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday in order to keep hope alive in the tournament. And yet, only one side will get to continue its sojourn at the 2020 Euros when all is said and done, meaning the premium on the win couldn’t be any greater than it is.
If the soccer odds were any indication, then England should win as the top bet. Oddsmakers corner this game with the Three Lions ever so slightly, giving the hosts the significantly better probability of winning. On the flipside, Die Mannschaft are tipped as the underdogs in the betting, but it’s fair to say Germany could win despite their disadvantaged odds. Simply put, a win by Germany isn’t beyond the realm of possibility at all.
It’s a right tossup for soccer picks, but if push comes to shove, a small wager on the Germans might be worth considering here. England have kept a clean sheet throughout the competition, but winning games by narrow margins is a cause for concern especially seeing that they’re faced with their toughest matchup of the tournament yet. Unlike Croatia, Czech Republic or Scotland, Germany is a European soccer powerhouse with a tradition of success. Not to mention, this is Joachim Low’s swansong tournament and he’d like nothing better than to go out on a high note. If England’s strikers don’t find their scoring feet in this game, they may well rue the missed opportunity at home once again against Germany.
Soccer Picks: Germany +196 with Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
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