Henry Hardwicke
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The 2022 soccer World Cup gets underway on Sunday, November 20, and all eyes will be on Group B which features USA, England, Wales and Iran. It’s an interesting draw for the USMNT, who missed the 2018 World Cup but will like their chances of qualifying for the second round, with both Iran and Wales being beatable. England reached the semifinals in 2018 and lost the final of Euro 2020, but a recent slump in form even makes them vulnerable. Which teams will be able to qualify from Group B and advance to the second round of the World Cup? Our soccer expert is breaking down each team and giving their best bet for Group B.
See our full USA 2022 World Cup soccer predictions and analysis for how the USMNT will perform
England 2022 World Cup Group B prediction
England reached the semifinals of the World Cup 4 years ago and they also made the final of Euro 2020. Expectations have risen after those efforts and there’s no doubt that the Three Lions have the talent to be a major force once more. Harry Kane is as reliable goalscorer as you will find and the Tottenham striker should get plenty of opportunities with the likes of Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling, Bukayo Saka and Jack Grealish supplying the chances.
The question marks over England are the defense and their current form. Gareth Southgate’s side failed to win a single Nations League contest and clearly they will need to improve on those efforts.
Iran 2022 World Cup Group B prediction
Iran is the best team in Asia and it’s possible that they can cause problems in Qatar. Carlos Queiroz is a defensively-minded coach, but the former Real Madrid man is a good manager and that has to be a major boost to Iran’s chances of group qualification.
They have plenty of quality in attacking areas and Porto’s Mehdi Taremi, Bayer Leverkusen’s Sardar Azmoun and Omonia’s Karim Ansarifard are all excellent forward options. Queiroz’s side is also used to playing in the hot and humid conditions of Tehran and that’s another boost to their chances.
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USA 2022 World Cup Group B prediction
On paper, this is a strong USA squad. Sergino Dest, Christian Pulisic, Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie are all part of a talented Stars and Stripes squad. However, the results of Gregg Berhalter’s side aren’t reflecting the quality at his disposal. The USMNT is fortunate to have one of the easiest qualification paths to the World Cup, but they were beaten by Costa Rica and Canada and they only just edged their way into the 3rd automatic qualifying spot. The quality is certainly there for the USA, but talent alone can only get you so far.
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Wales 2022 World Cup Group B prediction
Robert Page takes Wales to their first World Cup since 1958 and you can be sure of the spirit and endeavor of this Welsh side.
Star men Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey are in the twilight of their careers, but Bale still has the quality to perform on the biggest stage. Joe Rodon, Ben Davies and Neco Williams give Wales a strong defensive platform and a first-choice Welsh 11 is certainly capable of qualifying from this section.
The issue for the Dragons is squad depth, particularly in the midfield area. Much will depend on how much game time Page can get from Bale and if the young Dragons such as Brennan Johnson can deliver on the world stage.
2022 Soccer World Cup Group B Best Bet: Iran to qualify (+270)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
There is unlikely to be any surprise in terms of the winners of this group and England shouldn’t have too many problems securing top spot. However, the odds of Iran qualifying from the section appear to have been far too easily dismissed.
Iran is well coached by Carlos Queiroz and there is plenty of talent in their squad, while this is a side that is well adept to playing in the warm conditions of Tehran.
Iran lost just one of their AFC qualifying matches, conceding only four goals and they could prove a tough side to beat in Qatar.
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2022 World Cup Group B finishing order prediction
1 England
2 Iran
3 Wales
4 USA
2022 World Cup group predictions
Don’t miss our picks and predictions for EVERY 2022 soccer World Cup group:
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