Scotland Vs England World Cup Qualifiers Expert Picks

There are a lot of great rivalries in international football, but there are few that are able to deliver as much genuine hatred as the games between Scotland and England. These two countries may be neighbors, but there is absolutely no love lost, with the genuine dislike having more to do with the history of the UK as opposed to what happens on the field. History aside, passions are always high when these two teams meet, with the Scots in particular usually playing with a major chip on their shoulder. They seem to enjoy being the underdog in these games, as it makes getting one over on the Auld Enemy even sweeter. This is the second meeting between the two nations in this World Cup qualifying group, and it was the English who came away with the 3-0 win on their home turf. Things will be a little trickier for them this weekend, though, as they are going to be stepping into a truly hostile environment as Hampden Park in Glasgow. This may be the game of the weekend in World Cup qualifying. Find out more about the updated World Cup Qualifiers betting odds here.  

Here’s A Closer Look At The Scotland Vs England World Cup Qualifiers Expert Picks

When: Saturday, June 10 at 12:00 PM EST
Where: Hampden Park, Glasgow
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: Watch ESPN
FIFA Odds: TBA
 

Why bet on Scotland

It has not been the ideal start to World Cup qualifying for Scotland, and there were some who believed that coach Gordon Strachan would be out of a job by this stage of the proceedings. The Scots have done enough to hang in there, and while they are currently in 4th place in the group, they are just 2 points out of 2nd. Their qualification hopes, as well as the job of the manager, were kept alive in their last game, a 1-0 win over Slovenia that came courtesy of a last minute strike from Chris Martin. Scotland are always stubborn and tough to beat at home, as well as being a country that seems to play better when they go against the bigger opponents. Serious underdogs here, but they cannot be counted out.

Why bet on England

The English are sitting pretty at the top of Group F with 13 points out of a possible 15. Perhaps the most impressive part of their progress so far is that they have not given up a single goal through their first 5 games, scoring 8 in those matches. This would seem to serve them well against a Scotland team that does not have a great track record of putting the ball in the back of the net. It has been England who have had the better of the recent meetings against Scotland, and they are going to be coming in as heavy favorites. They have an exciting young squad, with the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alie both capable of changing a game in the blink of an eye.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

England are likely going to have to withstand an early assault from a Scotland team that is sure to be fired up in front of a highly partisan crowd. A goal in the first 20 minutes for the Scots could make this one interesting, but I think England will weather the storm and eventually take control.

Scotland 0 England 2