England vs Czech Republic Prediction: Betting Tips & Odds

England welcome Czech Republic to Wembley at 7:45am NZT on Wednesday, a week after beating them 2-0 in Prague.

England went to Rijeka on Saturday and put seven past Croatia without reply, the heaviest defeat in Croatia’s history. The Czechs lost 3-1 to Spain in Oviedo on the same day and they’re still pointless at the bottom of Nations League Group A3.

In this England vs Czech Republic preview, I go through form and team news for the last game of the window. My bet is a clean-sheet combo paying a touch over $2.

That’s the one I’d put forward for anyone hunting football betting tips this week.

England

Seven goals away from home doesn’t happen by accident.

England were ruthless in Rijeka. Harry Kane scored after eight minutes and they were four up by half-time, with Bukayo Saka scoring twice and Morgan Rogers adding a late seventh.

I thought Alex Scott was the story of the night. The Bournemouth midfielder looked at home next to Elliot Anderson on his first England start.

Kane is up to 89 England goals and has found the net in every Nations League game so far. Anthony Gordon has done the same, and he’s been England’s best player across this window for me.

Their defence is the bit I’m still not sold on. England conceded 13 goals across six games before Prague, and clean sheets against a 10-man Czech side and a flat Croatia team don’t fully convince me yet.

Team News: O’Reilly has withdrawn from the squad. Livramento, Mainoo, Palmer, Rashford and Rice were all ruled out of the window.

Predicted Lineup: Pickford; Quansah, Konsa, Guehi, Hall; Scott, Anderson; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.

Czech Republic

Three games, three defeats for the Czech Republic.

Two of them finished with 10 men. Pavel Sulc was sent off after 25 minutes in Prague for a high lunge on Anderson, and their captain picked up a second yellow late on in Oviedo. Before that red card, the Czechs had started brightly, with Sulc twice going close.

Santi Denia hasn’t had much to work with. A long list of regulars pulled out before the window started, including David Zima and Lukas Provod.

I’ll give them some credit for Oviedo. Jiri Slama pulled one back with 20 minutes left against the world champions, and it was only their second goal of the campaign.

They’ve conceded seven in three, and a fourth game in 11 days at Wembley isn’t where I’d expect that to change. Anyone using betting sites bonuses here won’t find much reason to back the Czechs at double figures.

Team News: Krejci is suspended. Soucek is out injured and Karabec is a doubt.

Predicted Lineup: Kovar; Chaloupek, Hranac, Vitik, Slama; Sadilek, Cerv; Radosta, Sulc, Lingr; Hlozek.

• Czech Republic’s only win over England came in Prague in October 2019.
• England beat Czech Republic 5-0 at Wembley in March 2019.
• England haven’t conceded in their last two games.
• Czech Republic have had two players sent off in three Nations League games.
• Both teams scored in two of Czech Republic’s three Nations League games.

England win this easily I reckon.

I’m not reading too much into Rijeka. Croatia looked old and slow, and they handed England at least two of those seven goals with mistakes at the back.

But this Czech side is weaker again. Their coach has only been in the job a matter of weeks and they’re without their captain for this one.

I’ve gone with the Rijeka XI, though I wouldn’t be shocked to see Trent Alexander-Arnold back at right-back. He set up Gordon’s opener in Prague and he’s well suited to a game where England will have most of the ball.

Where I’m less certain is the goals. England only scored twice in Prague despite playing against 10 men for more than an hour, so I’m wary of chasing a big handicap. Sulc is back from his ban too, and he was the Czechs’ most dangerous player before his red card. I won’t pretend a Czech goal is out of the question.

Still, I’m calling it 3-0 England. Kane anytime is about as safe as it gets, but the price is too short on its own.

England to Win to Nil and Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.30

The Czechs have only managed two goals across three games, and one of those came with Spain already 2-0 up.

Over 2.5 is the bigger question, I’ll admit. But England have scored nine times in their last two outings, and Czech Republic have conceded at least twice in every Nations League game so far.

I’m taking the $2.30 with the best new betting sites before the team sheets drop.