England vs. Scotland – European Championship, June 18, 2021

It’s safe to say that England and Scotland enjoyed contrasting fortunes in their opening Euro 2020 games. While the Three Lions secured a comfortable 1-0 win over Croatia, the Scots were beaten 2-0 by the Czech Republic.

The British rivals face off at Wembley on Friday, June 18, as the second round of group matches gets underway.

It feels like Steve Clarke’s men must avoid defeat to keep their chances of qualification alive. On the flip side, a home win on Friday would effectively see England book their spot in the last 16.

Keep reading to see my prediction and betting pick for England vs. Scotland.

If you watched England cruise past Croatia on Sunday, you would understand why all the top online sports betting sites expect Gareth Southgate’s side to beat Scotland.

Sure, the Tartan Army are likely to rise to the occasion at Wembley. But even with odds of 9.50, it is difficult to make a case for the Scots winning this one.

Let’s take a closer look at the teams.

As always, England’s European Championship preparations were overshadowed by talk about Southgate’s squad selection. However, the Three Lions delivered the ideal performance in their opening match.

After suffering a semi-final defeat to Croatia at the 2018 World Cup, Southgate’s men gained their revenge on Sunday.

Phil Foden, Harry Kane, and Mason Mount caused problems throughout the game, while Kalvin Phillips provided an eye-catching assist for Raheem Sterling. All in all, it was a top-class team display.

Having picked up a couple of 1-0 wins over Austria and Romania in the lead-up to the tournament, England has now claimed three straight victories without conceding a goal.

Theoretically, Croatia is a tougher opponent than Scotland. If the Three Lions pick up where they left off against Croatia, they should dispatch Scotland.

Before Euro 2020 got underway, morale was high in the Scotland camp. Clarke’s men carried a five-game unbeaten run into the tournament and even managed to hold the Netherlands to a draw earlier in the month.

But following Monday’s loss to the Czechs, Scotland’s confidence would have been dented.

Forwards like Lyndon Dykes, Ryan Christie, and Che Adams had plenty of opportunities to find the back of the net, but they failed to take their chances.

Patrick Schick punished the hosts on the stroke of half-time before doubling his tally with an outrageous strike from the halfway line.

If Clarke’s men continue to be wasteful in front of goal on Friday, they will almost certainly be heading out of the competition.

One thing is certain – Scotland will be pumped up for this match. The Scots love getting the better of their British rivals, so I expect Clarke’s side to bring plenty of energy to Wembley.

Still, the Three Lions boast more than enough quality to claim all three points – especially with the home crowd behind them. I can see Scotland giving Southgate’s men a run for their money on Friday, but England’s superiority should shine through.