The countdown is well and truly on to find out who will win the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This year sees the inaugural World Cup tournament in the Middle East. The peninsula of Qatar is set to play host to the world’s top soccer nations and the US men’s national team (USMNT) is one of the fortunate 32 rosters to qualify.
The USMNT and head coach, Gregg Berhalter, will have spent weeks already analyzing their Group B opponents. Some believe that the gods have been kind to the US, with the group’s second qualification spot for the knockout stages effectively wide open. England are the clear favorites to win Group B, but the USMNT is ranked higher in the FIFA world rankings than their fellow Group B counterparts Wales and Iran.
It’s for this reason alone that the USMNT are priced at -105 as second favorites to qualify out of Group B with DraftKings Sportsbook. This operator knows what it’s doing when it comes to sharp soccer betting lines, having launched daily fantasy sports (DFS) events since 2012. It’s now one of America’s top licensed sportsbooks and is listed as the number-one option at OddsChecker for first-time World Cup soccer bettors this winter.
How are the rest of the USMNT’s Group B opponents looking ahead of the 2022 World Cup?
EURO 2020 finalists England will be hoping to go one better in Qatar to bag their first World Cup since 1966. However, Gareth Southgate’s men have flattered to deceive on several occasions since their penalty shoot-out despair at Wembley against Italy. They were humbled twice by Hungary in the UEFA Nations League, including a 4-0 hammering on home soil.
However, there are still signs of supreme quality in the England roster. In their last Nations League game with Germany, England battled back from 2-0 down to lead 3-2, before conceding a late equaliser to draw 3-3. With no injuries to key players, England will still be one of the most feared teams in the tournament.
England’s near neighbors Wales are heading to their first World Cup finals in 64 years. The Welsh side reached the 2022 World Cup through the UEFA playoff route, knocking out Austria in the semi-finals followed by a heartfelt win over Ukraine in the playoff final. It marks an opportunity for Welsh icon, Gareth Bale, to lead his country to their first World Cup since 1958.
Bale single-handedly led Wales to the last four of EURO 2016 following a magical run. The 33-year-old, who left Real Madrid in the summer and now plies his trade in the US for Los Angeles FC, is hoping to play a similar lead role in Qatar. However, his move to Major League Soccer (MLS) hasn’t gone as many had anticipated, with Bale featuring just twice in the starting XI, with the remainder of his appearances coming from the bench.
If Bale goes into the World Cup undercooked, this could weigh heavily on a Wales side that’s long been reliant on his dynamism and flair.
The third and final Group B opponent for the USMNT is Iran. The Iranians comfortably sealed their passage to the 2022 World Cup at the third-round stage of the Asian qualifiers. Iran is currently ranked 20th in the FIFA world rankings, narrowly behind both the USA and Wales, making them the outsiders of Group B.
Iran’s most recent international friendlies have done little to improve their standing in the eyes of football pundits. A 2-1 loss at home to Algeria was followed by a narrow 1-0 win over Uruguay and a 1-1 bore draw with Senegal. Iran’s best hopes of qualification lie in the hands of star striker Mehdi Taremi. The 30-year-old is in the prime of his career and is in red-hot form for his club side, Portuguese giants FC Porto. Taremi has notched five goals in as many UEFA Champions League games this term, suggesting that he is a man for the big occasion.
With the USMNT by no means looking well-defined and ready for this winter’s World Cup, qualification out of the group will be seen as a creditable achievement for boss Berhalter.
