World Cup picks: England vs. Iran; Senegal vs. Netherlands

The 2022 World Cup got underway on Sunday with Ecuador’s 2-0 win over the hosts, Qatar, but the action really picks up on Monday with three matches, including a 2 p.m. ET headliner between the USA and Wales.

But what about the other two matches?

Check out our betting preview for England vs. Iran and Netherlands vs. Senegal below.

First-half under 0.5 goals (+172, FanDuel)

The next big moment for England’s most recent Golden Generation is upon us. The Three Lions are loaded with talent, they’re one of the tournament favorites and they have a very manageable path to the semi-finals.

So why does it seem like the market has cooled on England’s chances ahead of their tournament-opening match with Iran on Monday morning?

A lot of the pessimism is just natural. England hasn’t won a major international trophy in men’s soccer since 1966 and since then the Three Lions have mixed together some heart-breaking losses and embarrassing failures. So, naturally, everyone expects more of the same from England.

On the pitch, there are some genuine concerns, though.

Let’s start in the back. There are injuries to fullbacks Reece James (out), Ben Chilwell (out) and Kyle Walker (questionable) and the center-backs are all dealing with inconsistent form.

Then there’s the questions about England’s conservative approach under Gareth Southgate. Despite having one of the most talented sides in the field, Southgate prefers to put the onus on being tough to break down, rather than tough to stop. The injuries to the defense should only cause him to double down.

Even though England are likely way too good for Iran, the Lions of Persia will be a well-organized outfit under another conservative manager, Carlos Queiroz.

Time and again, England have had issues breaking down teams sitting deep in two low blocks. Last summer they netted two 1-0 wins and earned a 0-0 draw in an easy group that featured Croatia, Scotland and the Czech Republic. The way Southgate sets up his team invites those kind of low-event matches, which isn’t great when you’re required to lay a big number.

Instead, you can back the Iranian defense to keep them in the game for at least a half by taking a good number on the first 45 minutes to end nil-nil.

» READ MORE: World Cup 2022: TV schedule, live streaming, kickoff times on Fox and Telemundo

Senegal +550 (Caesars)

During the 18-month build-up to Qatar, there were few teams that received more sleeper hype than Senegal. The Lions of Teranga were the best team in Africa since 2018, they won the African Cup of Nations and they earned their trip to Doha with a win over Egypt.

But that hype came to a screeching halt a few weeks ago when Sadio Mane, one of the best attacking players in the world, was injured with Bayern Munich.

But overlook the Lions of Teranga at your own risk. The core of Aliou Cisse’s team, which does take a big hit without Mane, has been playing together for a long time and there’s still plenty of talent on this roster in important places. Up top Senegal will have a strong strikeforce with Boulaye Dia and Ismaila Sarr and a spine featuring Idrisse Gana Gueye and Kalidou Koulibaly will make winning the battle in the middle of the field pretty tough on the Netherlands.

Over the course of the tournament, the Netherlands will likely prove to be a much stronger team than Senegal, but in a 90-minute match the Lions of Teranga still have reasons to believe that they can pull off a stunning result.

This number has moved too much since Mane was injured, putting some value on Senegal to shock Clockwork Orange.

» READ MORE: Full sports betting coverage from The Philadelphia Inquirer

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