England vs. Senegal Prediction: 2022 World Cup Betting Odds

Edgar Chaput
December 2, 2022

The group stage is over. There are no more second chances. The European heavyweights finished Group B at the top of the heap whereas Senegal earned second place in Group A.

Gareth Southgate’s England side is deemed -233 favourite on the World Cup odds. Cameroon is +602. A draw (the game would go to penalties) is +317. The over-under is 2.25 goals scored.

England vs. Senegal Betting Analysis

England -205
Draw +307
Senegal +566

What a moment for these two nations to be joined on the football pitch for the first time. In the span of one evening, their history together will go from non-existent to a massive contest etched in the World Cup history books.

For the Three Lions, the weight of history is perennially pressed on their shoulders, with no title to their name since 1966. A breakthrough occurred four years ago in Russia though. The fourth-place finish was the country’s best effort since another fourth place in 1990. This generation of talent also reached the 2020 Euro Final (played in 2021), where they ultimately fell to Italy on penalties. Speaking of penalty kicks, English fans will be hoping this contest doesn’t require that determining factor. ’98 against Argentina, Euro ’04 against Portugal, ’06 against Portugal again, Euro ’12 against Italy, and Euro ’20 also against Italy. All concluded with English defeat.

Senegal doesn’t have much World Cup knockout stage experience. 2002 was the last time the Lions of Teranga went deep into the tournament. Turkey eventually took them out in the quarter-finals on a soul-crushing 94^th-minute winner. Manager Aliou Cissé has trained this squad well for high-pressure situations. One need only look at their African Cup of Nations win in January, defeating favourites Egypt in the final.

Check out all of Sports Interaction’s World Cup betting odds.

England

It was relatively easygoing for Southgate’s men in Group B. The only blemish was a 0-0 draw against the U.S., a game in which observers could argue the Americans were the better side. Despite the draw they still finished atop and, more impressively, with a +7 goal differential.

The opening salvo versus Iran was akin to training ground-level stuff. With a 6-2 final – Iran’s second score was an added-time consolation – it looked as if the English would run amuck in 2022. All the big names scored: Sterling, Saka (twice), Rashford, Grealish, Bellingham. Then came the tight, tense draw with the Americans that pulled expectations back to earth. Then, with first place up for grabs, the Three Lions roared loudly and proudly with a 3-0 thrashing of Wales. Rashford put his name on the scoresheet twice, including an absolute pearl of a free kick.

Senegal

After an opening game defeat to the Netherlands 2-0 (in which they by no means played poorly), the Senegalese have turned their fortunes around with consecutive victories to finish second in Group A.

A date with hosts Qatar was handled with aplomb. Cissé’s side earned a comfortable 3-1 victory. A trio of goal scorers helped the national cause, showing depth and strength in numbers. What followed was the critical test, the do-or-die tilt with surging, spry Ecuador, whom some believed had played better overall entering the match. While Senegal only mustered 39% possession, they made the most of that modest figure, launching 14 shots toward the Ecuadorian net with 3 on target. Main forward Ismaïla Sarr struck first and, only moments after the South American levelled, talisman and Chelsea regular Kalidou Koulibaly pounced on a ball off a corner, netting the game-winner.