It’s just days away. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final will take place on Sunday, August 20th at Stadium Australia in Sydney between a pair of footballing powerhouses on the men’s side who are also proving to be a force on the women’s side. England will lock horns with Spain, with both teams making their first-ever appearance in the WWC showpiece. The kick-off is scheduled for 6 AM ET here. The Lionesses cruised to victory in the semis over hosts Australia, winning 3-1. As for La Roja, they won a nail-biter against Sweden thanks to a late goal from Olga Carmona. Below, find Spain vs England picks.
Before we get into the odds, preview, and picks, check out the biggest Vegas online soccer betting sites if you want to bet on the Women’s World Cup.
As you can see, there’s really no clear favorite here. Spain sits at +170 odds for the final, while England comes back at +188. The over/under is also set at a mere two goals, which means the sportsbooks expect a low-scoring affair Sunday.
There’s also a rich history between these two sides. They’ve met 16 times overall, with the Lionesses winning seven. La Roja has collected only three victories. The other six meetings ended level. The most recent encounter came in Euro 2022 where England ran out 2-1 winners in the Round of 16 and eventually won the entire tournament, beating Germany in the showpiece.
Spain had rather steep odds of winning the World Cup, but they’ve really exceeded expectations. Jorge Vilda’a side was 2-0-1 in the group stages which proved to be enough to advance despite a deflating 4-0 defeat to Japan, but since then, La Roja have played flawless football. The knockout rounds presented three very difficult opponents, hammering Switzerland in the Last 16 before a win over the 2019 finalists the Netherlands. Then in the semis, the Spaniards eliminated an established Sweden team.
Espana controlled 63% of the ball and had a plethora of chances, but the breakthrough didn’t happen until the 81st minute when Vilda decided to bring on 19-year-old Salma Paralluelo, who already scored off the bench in the quarterfinals. The youngster produced the goods again with a classy finish to put her club ahead. The Swedes got one back shortly after, but Carmona ultimately won it in the 89th minute.
A plethora of different players have done their part in the final third for Spain. Jenni Hermoso, Aitana Bonmati, and Alba Redondo have all hit the back of the net three times and combined for five assists, too. Paralluelo also has two goals and will surely come on as a substitute in the final again.
England has already been a rather solid side, but they truly announced themselves on the big stage last summer by winning the Euros on home soil at Wembley. And with Lauren James leading the way, the Lionesses are putting on a show in the World Cup, too. James scored three and provided another three assists in the group stages as England finished top of their pod with a perfect nine points from three games but she was handed a straight red in the Round of 16 against Nigeria after deliberately stepping on an opponent’s back.
Thankfully though, Sarina Wiegman’s team will get James back for the final after serving a two-match ban. That’s massive as she is likely to replace Ella Toone in the starting XI. However, Toone undoubtedly did her thing in the semifinals as she rattled the back of the net with an absolute screamer of a goal to open her account. Sam Kerr then scored a stunner of her own not long after before Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo sealed the deal.
The Brits have now conceded only three times in the tournament while scoring 13. The backline continues to be very solid, but they will be tested by a versatile Spain attack with numerous stars who are capable of a moment of brilliance in the final third. Knowing their track record against La Roja though should give England a ton of confidence as they aim to win their very first World Cup trophy and solidify themselves as one of the best women’s programs around.
I expect this to be a highly-entertaining clash. To me though, England has looked to be the more consistent group, and I believe they come out on top. Hammer that moneyline.
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