England vs Iran Match Preview

England starts this World Cup as one of the favorite teams to win the whole thing. And considering the group they are in they should have little trouble qualifying for the next stage. They had quite a disappointing campaign in the UEFA Nations League as they finished 4th in the group with three draws and three losses over six duels. And this got them relegated to League B but of course, things will change big time now so I am not worried about those performances. The depth they have in their squad, especially in attack with players like Kane, Rashford, Saka, Foden, and Sterling will cause problems for every defense in this competition. In the last big tournament, the UEFA EURO 2020, they were so close to success but failed at the final step so I think they will be even more solid this time.

Iran managed to secure their spot in this World Cup quite easily as they finished 1st in their group beating South Korea. In the last friendlies, they have had their ups and downs with two wins a draw, and two losses. The thing is they lack some quality upfront and we have seen it as they scored just four goals in the last five duels while conceding five. They failed to keep a clean sheet on three occasions and they played against teams like Algeria, Senegal, and Tunisia. Now against England, I guess it will be even more difficult for them considering what is at stake. Their star player Azmoun will be missing the duel because of an injury and it makes me think their approach to the game will be even more on the defensive side.

In conclusion, I think England can win this game and manage to cover the -1 goal Asian handicap. I expect them to play an attacking game from the start trying to break their rivals early. The wingers will play an important role with their crosses and passes for Kane waiting in the middle. Iran will try and sit out in defense but I do not see them holding the pressure for the whole 90 mins.