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The stakes will be high for both sides Monday when the United States Men’s National Team faces Wales in its 2022 FIFA World Cup opener. The youthful USMNT hope this is the start of something big after the squad missed the 2018 edition of the world’s biggest tournament. The Americans are in the only group in the FIFA World Cup 2022 that features four teams in the top 20. USA ranks 16th and is joined by No. 5 England, 19th-ranked Wales and No. 20 Iran. The top two teams in the group will advance to the 2022 World Cup knockout stage.
Kickoff in Ar-Rayyan, Qatar is set for 2 p.m. ET. The USMNT are the +140 favorites on the money line (risk $100 to win $140) in Caesars Sportsbook’s latest USA vs. Wales odds. Wales are +225 underdogs, a draw is priced at +195, and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you lock in your Wales vs. USA picks or 2022 FIFA World Cup predictions, be sure to check out the best bets and analysis from SportsLine soccer insider Jon Eimer.
Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, Eimer has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more. He is an impressive 48-25-1 on his Premier League picks for SportsLine in 2022, for a profit of almost $1,800 for $100 bettors. He also went 20-12 on his World Cup Qualifying picks, for a return of almost $600.
Now, Eimer has broken down the USA vs. Wales matchup from all sides and just locked in his World Cup picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Wales vs. USA:
USA vs. Wales spread: USA -0.5 (+145)USA vs. Wales over/under: 2.5 goals USA vs. Wales money line: USA +140, Wales +225, Draw +195 USA: USA has an 18-7 advantage in goals in its past 10 competitive games WAL: Wales has outscored its opponents 15-14 in its past 10 official matches USA vs. Wales picks: See picks here
Why you should back the USMNT
The Americans have a young team, but it is the most talented they have had in years. They face an aging Wales team that has little quality depth and just went 0-1-5 in the UEFA Nations League in its most recent matches. Christian Pulisic will be the key to the attack, and while he hasn’t gotten a lot of playing time at Chelsea, he comes through in big moments regularly for the USMNT. He had a hat trick in the critical victory against Panama and has 21 goals in 52 matches for the national team. With the team lacking a true striker, Pulisic and a loaded midfield will be counted on for the goals.
Weston McKennie, who plays with Juventus in Italy’s Serie A, is the standout in midfield, but he’s far from the only star. Yunus Musah, Tyler Adams, Kellyn Acosta and Brenden Aaronson are among many quality options to join him. Josh Sargent, Gio Reyna and Jesus Ferreira, who scored four goals against Grenada, are among the up-and-coming players trying to fill the hole at striker. Goalkeeper Matt Turner has emerged as a strong backstop over the past year, and the USA had six clean sheets in 14 qualifying matches.
Why you should back Wales
The fate of Wales is likely to come down to veterans Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, and their experience is going to be a lot for the USA to handle. Bale has been one of the world’s best finishers for well over a decade, and while he has tailed off dramatically the past couple of years, he is still capable of brilliant moments. His free kick to beat Ukraine in the UEFA qualifying playoff was another in a long line of huge goals. He also had the equalizer – in the 128th minute – to send the MLS Cup to penalties, where his LAFC squad prevailed over the Philadelphia Union for its first title.
The team’s grit in the victory against Ukraine – in the face of massive support for the opposing side – showed the pride the Welsh are propelled by. The squad’s approach under manager Rob Page is to sit back and defend while trying to spring Bale and speedy Fulham forward Dan James on counter-attacks. Wales qualified for the Euros in 2016 and 2020 and have plenty of experience against top teams. Bale and Ramsey had a hand in nine of the 13 goals at those two Euros, the last major tournaments for Wales.
How to make USA vs. Wales picks
Eimer has broken down Monday’s Wales vs. USMNT match from every angle. He is leaning Under on the goal total and has two other confident best bets, including one that returns plus money, and a full breakdown of the match. He’s only sharing his World Cup picks and analysis at SportsLine.
So who wins USA vs. Wales in Monday’s 2022 FIFA World Cup matchup? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the USA vs. Wales match, all from the expert who’s crushed his soccer picks, and find out.