Match Preview: England 1-0 Croatia Prediction and Betting Tips | Euro 2020

England – Croatia Prediction and Tips for today, June 13, 2021

England – Croatia Match Preview

• England (FIFA rank: #4) have never won their opening UEFA European Championship finals match (D5, L4), but doing so here would see them record seven consecutive international wins for the first time in more than six years. Having conceded just once during their current six-game run, they should be confident of avoiding defeat against a side they’ve lost to just once in five attempts (W3, D1) – although that loss was the rather significant 2018 World Cup semi-final.
• Playing this match on home soil ought to give the ‘Three Lions’ a considerable advantage, particularly given their unbeaten record at (old) Wembley during UEFA/FIFA international tournaments (W6, D5 – outcomes at 90 minutes). Meanwhile, they’ve won six consecutive matches as hosts anywhere, on each occasion netting the opener.
• Whilst Croatia (FIFA rank: #14) are yet to progress past the quarter-final stage of this tournament, they’ve never lost their opening match at the Euros (W4, D1). They’ve struggled for form lately, winning just twice in nine matches (D2, L5) with neither of those victories coming vs a side with a FIFA ranking better than 97. Furthermore, they haven’t beaten a side currently ranked inside the top ten since overcoming Spain in November 2018, while they haven’t netted inside the opening 15 minutes in 15 consecutive matches (W6, D2, L7).
• Therefore a fast start here seems unlikely, but curiously, the last time they did score during that period was in the United Kingdom – against Wales – and they’ve won at Wembley before, ending Steve McClaren’s reign as England boss in 2007. More topically though, no victory in four games on foreign soil is a concern (D1, L3), as is conceding before HT in their last eight such fixtures (HT: D2, L6).
• Players to watch: One of England talisman Harry Kane’s 13 international goals at Wembley came against Croatia in 2018, while Ivan Perišić scored the opener in two of Croatia’s last three internationals having also netted twice at Euro 2016.
• Hot stat: England have won their last 12 matches against sides ranked outside of FIFA’s top ten, scoring an average of 3.25 goals per game.