England are 7/2 favourites to win Euro 2024 despite underwhelming hugely in topping Group C, but that’s almost entirely down to the fact that Spain (4/1), Germany (9/2) France (11/2) and Portugal (13/2) are all on the other side of the draw.
Gareth Southgate’s side are just 2/5 to overcome round-of-16 opponents Slovakia in normal time, but taking short odds about the Three Lions has become less appealing with every outing at these finals and we have other wagers in mind.
England vs Slovakia predictions
Under 1.5 England goals @ 23/20
Second half result – Draw @ 13/8
Total England corners – Under 5.5 @ 23/20
Bet on the latest Euro 2024 odds at Betzone
Back more bum notes from out of tune England attack
England have scored just twice at Euro 2024 so far and their lowly rank in the shots-per-game and shots-on-target-per-game tables at the end of the group stage offers scant suggestion they’re about to cut loose in the round of 16.
Only four of the 24 sides that started the tournament average less efforts than Gareth Southgate’s side (9.7), while they rated 17 of 24 for shots on target (3.7).
In the groups, Slovakia shut out Belgium and only shipped against Romania due to the softest of penalty awards so a misfiring English attack will also have a decent defence to unlock.
Tip: Under 1.5 England goals @ 23/20
Even second period well overpriced as cagey KO’s begin
Half of the 36 games played during the group stage landed bets on a drawn second-half, so the 13/8 about another even post-interval portion looks like value here.
All of England’s games in Group C delivered goalless second acts, as did two of Slovakia’s three in Group E.
Knockout football should up the caginess quotient even further and with neither side having netted more than once in an outing so far at the tournament the chances of another second-stanza stalemate look better than the odds suggest.
Tip: Second result half – Draw @ 13/8
England unlikely to rack up high corner count on recent evidence
As 2/5 favourites for victory during normal time England might well be expected to amass a hefty number of corners as they besiege the Slovak goal.
However, visits to the quadrant for Southgate’s troops have been limited in competitive action since the start of the 2023/34 campaign and particularly at Euro 2024. That brings under 5.5 total England corners into play at a generous 23/20.
England didn’t amass more than six corners in any of their final four qualifiers for this tournament or their three group stage outings in Germany.
Against Serbia they earned just one. Against Denmark the count was two and against Slovenia last time out they only hopped the 5.5 corner bar by half a point.
Slovakia are backed to help keep the count down given they’re not sloppy in terms of giving away corner balls. They’ve allowed over 5.5 corners just once in nine competitive games since the start of 2023/24 with no more than five allowed in any of their Group E matches.
