Can the USA Reach the World Cup Knockout Stage?
After a few nervous moments in qualifying, the USA made it to the 2022 World Cup finals. If you want to place a bet with American gamblig companies on how far they can get in this soccer tournament it’s not an easy decision to make.
The MLS may be becoming increasingly popular but that doesn’t guarantee World Cup success. The American team has been drawn alongside England, Wales and Iran and need a top two finish to reach the knockout stages. They are not favorites to win the group but for example are favored by NY bookmakers to qualify.
The USA missed out in 2018 and at times it looked as if a bet on America doing so again might come up. It should have been a straightforward qualification, but the American team has a major weakness. Their away form just isn’t good enough to guarantee a bet on them with bookmakers can be successful.
Just one of their away qualifiers was won. That was against Honduras who finished bottom of the group and didn’t win a single game. The American side were favorites in some of their other away qualifiers but didn’t win any of them. The other six away qualifiers saw the US fail to win and only score once.
If as in 2026, the USA can play World Cup finals matches on home soil (with Mexico and Canada also hosting matches), then American sportsbooks would be offering lower odds on them winning than in the 2022 World Cup.
For the upcoming World Cup, America’s inability to play well on their travels isn’t getting US online betting sites too excited about their prospects.
Once the World Cup qualification had been secured – celebrating after a 2-0 loss in Costa Rica – the US went into the CONCACAF Nations League. It was more of the same with an easy 5-0 home win over Grenada and then needing a last-gasp goal to get a 1-1 draw in El Salvador. The US are still favorites to qualify for the finals when the tournament resumes next March.
Even so, the USA put in another disappointing away performance. Betting on an American away win is still a rather risky wager to make. What can be done to ensure that improved away form is shown in Qatar? One hope could be below-par performances by the opposition.
Wales defied the odds to reach the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958. They are the first opponents for the USA in this group. Don’t be fooled by all those years without qualifying, Wales are not going to be easy to beat.
They didn’t follow up their World Cup play-off wins over Austria and Ukraine with a good Nations League campaign and ended up being relegated. However, if any team is going to be determined to do well in Qatar, you can bet it’s Wales. The hope for America is that the occasion might be too much for them.
The first match against the USA will be such a massive occasion for them. The promised land has finally been reached by them. Wales have made it to the finals of the last two European championships with a semi-final and last 16 appearance.
The USA won’t have an easy opener but getting something from this game and the match against England, can set up a massive final game against Iran.
England reached the European Championship finals last year and finished third in the 2018 World Cup. They are the betting favorites to win Group B but they haven’t had a perfect year.
Losing twice to Hungary, including a 4-0 home beating put a big shadow over the English squad. Like Wales, they also suffered relegation in the Nations League. England sometimes tends to struggle to get out of their group in World Cup finals. If they aren’t fully prepared or Gareth Southgate still doesn’t know his best eleven, the USA might just have a chance of getting something against them.
Iran did well in the last World Cup despite a difficult draw. They were in the same group as both Spain and Portugal but would have gone through if Spain hadn’t got a late equalizer against Morocco.
The Iranians haven’t had the best of form in the lead up to the World Cup finals. Losses to South Korea and Algeria don’t inspire too much confidence in them with American sportsbooks.
The USA can’t just rely on below-par performances from their opponents. They must take a long look at their squad and work out just why betting on an away win is not helping people’s finances. The goals flow at home but not on their travels, just why is that the case?
A lot tougher World Cup groups could have been drawn. England are a highly ranked team but rarely play like one. Iran are inconsistent and Wales might just be the surprise team in the group if they can handle their emotions.
Betting on the USA to reach the last 16 has got its chances of success. However, unless that away form is improved, it might be a case of an early exit sometime in December.
