Women’s FIFA World Cup Finals
Spain vs England 8/20/2023 – Spain secured the 2nd position in Group C, displaying their prowess by achieving a convincing 5-0 victory against Zambia and a dominant 3-0 win over Costa Rica. Their group stage journey culminated with a 4-0 defeat to Japan; a match of reduced significance as both teams had already secured their passage to the knockout stage. The Round of 16 saw Spain delivering a thrilling performance against Switzerland, who had maintained an unblemished defensive record in the group stage. Spain triumphed 5-1, showcasing their offensive prowess. Continuing their formidable run, they overcame Netherlands 2-1 in the quarterfinals and Sweden 2-1 in the semifinals, securing their place among the top contenders. Spain currently holds the 6th position in the FIFA Women’s Rankings.
On the other hand, England emerged as one of the three teams in the group stage to remain unbeaten. They started their campaign by edging past Haiti with a 1-0 victory and followed it with another narrow win of 1-0 against Denmark. Their group stage exploits culminated in a resounding 6-1 triumph over China. The Round of 16 posed a challenge against Nigeria, resulting in a goalless draw through 120 minutes and ultimately leading to a victory via penalty kicks with a 4-2 scoreline. England’s momentum carried into the quarterfinals, where they defeated Colombia 2-1, and they reached a crescendo by eliminating one of the host nations, Australia, with a 3-1 win. England currently holds the 4th position in the global rankings, solidifying their standing as a formidable contender.
Spain vs England Game Information
Match Day: Sunday, August 20, 2023
Match Time: 6:00 AM ET
Venue: Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia
TV Channel: FOX US
Spain Betting Trends
- Spain vs. England spread: Spain -0.5 (+160), England +0.5 (-210)
- Spain vs. England over/under: 1.5 goals (Over -200, Under +150)
- Spain vs. England 90-minute money line: Spain +175, England +190, Draw +195
- Spain vs. England to lift the trophy: England -105, Spain -120
Spain’s Key Players
After smoothly dispatching Switzerland in their initial knockout encounter, Spain faced two subsequent matches that were tightly contested. In both instances, the match-winning contributor was none other than the teenage prodigy Salma Paralluelo, who showcased her exceptional talent by coming off the bench to score on both occasions. This 19-year-old sensation, hailing from Barcelona, has unmistakably proven herself as a game-changer, demonstrating her ability to shine on the grandest stages. Therefore, it’s highly likely that she will play a significant role in the upcoming final.
The pivotal decision confronting Spain revolves around whether to deploy Paralluelo as a starter or introduce her as a substitute during the match. The strategic consideration here is that her dynamic playing style could exert an even more profound impact against a fatigued opposing defense when she enters the game as a substitute. Up to this point, Paralluelo has proven to be an exemplary impact player, capable of shifting the course of a match. As such, maintaining the current winning approach might be the most prudent course of action.
England Betting Trends
- In a later friendly match against Portugal, England received 13 corners after losing to Australia by a score of 2-0.
- Over the course of five games at the Women’s World Cup, they won 6.2 corners on average, which is indicative of their propensity to bomb down the sides and whip balls into the box.
- At Gtech Community Stadium that day, Australia only managed to win one corner, but overall, they have won 7.4 per game in this tournament.
England’s Key Players
- The situation in England is very similar. Lauren James, a talented young striker, will be back in the lineup for the final despite serving a two-match suspension for collecting a red card against Nigeria in the previous two games.
- Ella Toone, who scored the opening goal against Australia with a tremendous shot, might do a better job in that area. She has also performed admirably in attack. It would be best to stick with the starting lineup and give Toone roughly an hour on the field before Wiegman and her coaching staff consider inserting James.
Odds/Point Spread: Spain +160, England +185 Total Odds: 2.5
In its previous two games and in five of its six World Cup games, England scored. It will have defensive challenges because it gave up a goal in three of its past four games and will be utilizing its most technically proficient assault to date.
Spain and its opponent have both scored goals in each of their games throughout the knockout stage, winning 5-1, 2-1, and 2-1. In the knockout stage, it averaged three goals per game and hasn’t given up a goal in four straight games.
Spain vs England Betting Trends
Spain vs England: Spain has undeniably stood out as the standout team in this tournament, a notion firmly supported by their repeated displays of excellence. La Roja has showcased an imposing offensive prowess throughout the Women’s World Cup. Demonstrating their dominance, Spain has maintained possession of the ball at a minimum of 60% in every match during the tournament, leading all participating teams with an impressive possession rate of 72%. Moreover, they boast the highest average shots per game in the tournament at 20.3, eclipsing even the United States, who are ranked second with 18.5 shots per game.
Their 5-1 victory over Switzerland in the Round of 16 stands as one of the tournament’s most remarkable performances. Additionally, Spain has emerged victorious against both Netherlands and Sweden, the two teams that drew against the top-ranked USA. With a more impressive track record in the knockout stage, Spain appears well-equipped to dismantle the English defense, which has conceded goals in three of its last four matches.
Spain has consistently managed to score two or more goals in each of their knockout stage encounters. In contrast, England’s journey has been relatively smoother, contending with two teams positioned outside the top 20 rankings and narrowly overcoming Australia with a 3-1 victory, despite being tied at 1-1 until the final 20 minutes.
Free Pick and Prediction: Spain will win 2-1.
