World Cup 2022 Group E Teams, Odds, Preview & Best Bet
We’re just a few months away from the 2022 FIFA World Cup getting underway. Before the action can get started, there are still a few play-in matches that need to be completed, including New Zealand taking on Costa Rica for the final position in Group E. The oddsmakers see Spain (-125) as a slight favorite to win the group while the Germans (+115) aren’t far behind. Japan and the play-in winner will have their work cut out against those two powerhouses, coming in as +1400 and +10000/+5000 to win the group, respectively.
2022 World Cup Opening Odds and Best Bets >>
Spain (-125 to Win Group E | +750 to Win World Cup)
Spain enters the 2022 World Cup with the fourth highest odds to come away as outright winners this year. They qualified with ease, going 6-1-1 in their European group and posting a goal differential of +10. This will be the 16th time that Spain participates in the World Cup, with their best finish coming back in 2010, when they won the tournament. Luis Enrique has been managing the Spanish side since 2019 and he’s gone 13-10-3 over 26 international competitions.
The Spanish roster is loaded with talent and experience from top to bottom. Ãlvaro Morata will lead the charge up front, and he has scored 25 goals over 52 international caps in his career. Joining Morata on the attack will be Ferran Torres, who plays his club soccer with Barcelona, and has found the net 13 times in 24 international appearances. The midfield will be anchored by Koke and Rodi, who have a combined 93 caps on the Spanish roster. As for the goalkeeping, Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simón will likely handle the responsibilities.
New Zealand or Costa Rica (+10000/+5000 to Win Group E | +100000/+100000 to Win World Cup)
The intercontinental playoff between New Zealand and Costa Rica is set to take place on June 14th from Doha, Qatar. The winner of the 90 minute match will advance to the World Cup and earn the final spot in Group E.
New Zealand has been coached by Danny Hay since 2019, but the squad only has six international matches since his reign began, due to COVID-19. Hay is just 3-0-3 over those six matches, but he has the opportunity to lead New Zealand to its third World Cup in June. As for the roster, Winston Reid will captain the team and he’s made 30 caps for New Zealand. His vice-captain is Chris Wood, who plays his club soccer with Newcastle United. The forward has 33 goals over 65 international appearances.
Costa Rica finished the final CONCACAF qualifying round in fourth, and that earned them a trip to Qatar for this play-in matchup with New Zealand. Colombian born Luis Fernando Suárez is the head coach for Costa Rica and he has posted a 10-4-4 record over 18 international matches. 29-year-old Joel Campbell leads the charge up front for the Costa Ricans. Campbell has already played in 109 matches over his international career and has scored 21 goals. Keylor Navas, a member of Paris Saint-Germain, will handle the goalkeeping in the tournament, and he has 105 caps to his name.
It’s going to be an exciting intercontinental playoff between these two sides. Costa Rica is -150 on the three-way moneyline while New Zealand is +380 and the draw comes in at +260.
Germany (+115 to Win Group E | +1000 to Win World Cup)
Since taking over as the skipper for Germany, Hansi Flick has boasted an unbeaten record of 8-1-0 over nine matches. The Germans qualified for the World Cup by winning their European qualifying group. This will be the 20th time that they’ve participated in the tournament, and they’ve lifted the trophy four times, the second most in history (Brazil, 5).
While basically all of the roster has turned over with new, young talent, there are still a pair of familiar faces from when Germany won the World Cup back in 2014. Manuel Neuer (109 caps) will captain the team heading into the tournament while Thomas Müller (112 caps) will bolster the attack. The versatile attacker has 43 international goals. He’ll be joined by world class forwards Timo Werner and Leroy Sané, who have combined for 91 caps and 33 goals. Chelsea’s Kai Havertz and Paris Saint-Germain’s Julian Draxler will fortify the midfield for the Germans. This roster boasts some of the most talented players in the world, and with Hansi Flick at the helm, Germany should really like their chances at making a deep run in the World Cup this year.
Japan (+1400 to Win Group E | +20000 to Win World Cup)
The Asian qualifying round is one of the more rigorous tests for national teams. They must first win a group of five teams, before being sent to a second group of six teams. Out of the 12 teams in the two secondary groups, the two winners and two runner-ups earn a trip to the World Cup. Japan, under Hajime Moriyasu, went through the gauntlet and eventually punched their ticket to the tournament. Moriyasu has been managing Japan’s national team since 2018, where he boasts a record of 34-6-8 over 48 international contests.
Japan’s roster is headlined by an experienced defensive duo of ​​Yuto Nagatomo (134 caps) and the captain, Maya Yoshida (115 caps). It’s expected that 39-year-old Eiji Kawashima will handle the goalkeeping in this year’s World Cup. Kawashima plays his club soccer with Strasbourg and has made 94 appearances on the international stage. The attack for Japan lacks experience, with Takuma Asano being the most tenured forward with 34 caps. He’s scored six times for Japan’s national team.
Best Bet of Group E: Germany to Win Group E (+115 via DraftKings)
While there is some stimulating soccer to be played in the coming months, it appears as if Group E will come down to Spain and Germany battling it out for the top spot. Both teams are world class and the oddsmakers agree, as they give the slightest of edges to Spain (-125) to win the group outright.
I really like the way that Germany’s roster is constructed entering the World Cup in 2022 and I will be backing them at +115 to win the group outright. And as much as I enjoy the potential that this roster boasts, there has to be a man to guide the team in the right direction. Hansi Flick is one of the most decorated coaches in history, from his experience gained under Joachim Löw on the national level, to his time spent with Bayern Munich, Flick is one of the brightest minds in the sport. I expect him to be well-prepped and have the team ready to face Spain and ultimately come away with the top spot in Group E.
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