Our football match prediction:
England
Match Time & Date:
28/06/2018
19:00 GMT
Prediction: 1-2
Belgium
Top position in Group G will be at stake when England and Belgium take on each other at Kaliningrad Stadium on Thursday afternoon. England were more than fortunate to beat Tunisia in their opener, but they rolled over Panama 6-1 in their second group game. The Three Lions booked their place in the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup and they are only one point away from cementing first position in Group G. Gareth Southgate’s men are likely to adopt a cautious approach in Thursday ’s football match, but they will have a big fish to fry against the Red Devils. Roberto Martinez’s men have been impressive in the group stages of the showpiece tournament and we predict that Romelu Lukaku, who has already netted four goals in the process, is going to prove a handful for the opposition defenders in the decider.
Highlighted Player (Harry Kane):
Widely regarded as one of England’s best strikers at the moment, Harry Kane enjoyed a meteoric rise at Tottenham Hotspur, scoring 21 Premier League goals during the 2014/2015 campaign to be voted PFA Young Player of the Year. The highly rated striker went on to surpass that achievement the following season as he helped Spurs mount a serious title challenge for the first time in club’s recent history and he made seamless transition to international football. Kane scored four goals in his first ten appearances for England to prove he was here to stay and at the same time established himself as a first choice striker in Roy Hodgson’s squad ahead of the Euro 2016 finals. Kane is a modern striker, who is extremely dangerous in the opposition box, but it was some outstanding goals from distance as well as link-up play with teammates that earned him an excellent reputation in world football. Kane is expected to lead both Tottenham and England in years to come, that is if he can resist the lure of top European clubs that continue to cast admiring glances his way.
Highlighted Team (Belgium):
Present on the international stage since 1904, Belgium national team have had plenty of ups and downs in the past, finishing as runners up at the 1980 European Championship in Italy. The Red Devils also won the third place on home soil at the 1972 tournament, while they enjoyed some success at the World Cup finals as well. Belgium qualified for 12 World Cup tournaments, reaching the semi-finals in 1986 and quarter-finals at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. It is the generation that played in Brazil that is believed to be the most talented team since the one featuring Enzo Scifo, Michel Preud’homme and Franky van der Elst. Playing their home games at King Baudouin Stadium, the Red Devils have impressed at the start of the 21st century, with the likes of Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne just some of the world-class players in the squad. Following some impressive results in the Euro 2016 qualifiers and international friendlies, Belgium climbed to number 1 position in the FIFA Rankings in November 2015.
