Stade Bollaert-Delelis at Lille will be the stadium that could decide England’s participation in the Euro 2016 beyond the group stages. The tournament may be only one matchday old, but England are already looking at the possibility of an early elimination. Roy Hodgson’s team could only manage a 1-1 draw with Russia despite dominating the game. Wales, who were considered as favourites to come second just behind England, are now leading the group following a 2-1 win over Slovakia.
Gary Cahill may be the only Chelsea player to feature in the England squad, but there is little doubt that many Chelsea fans will be cheering for England to progress. Despite the opening day disappointment, SmartBets’ odds favour an England victory against Wales when the two teams meet each other on June 16. England are given odds of 1.62 whereas Wales are placed at a quite distant 6.25. One of the factors for bookmakers tilting towards England maybe the potential defensive mindset of the Welsh national team in this upcoming match.
Wales are in a great position to qualify for the knockout stages. Even though a win will confirm the progression, they could also be pulled back from their great position with a defeat and other results going against them. Chris Coleman will want to avoid such a situation and he could potentially favour a defensive setup against England in the hope of securing a draw. Coleman will not worry as long as his team remain in charge of group B.
England are two points behind Wales going into the match. Betting lines suggests Cahill is certain to start the match, but Hodgson is likely to go with Jamie Vardy rather than Harry Kane. The Spurs forward was disappointing against Russia while Vardy did not come off the bench. Wales are concerned about the availability of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who suffered back spasms in the game against Slovakia.
