Kazakhstan-England Preview: World Cup 2010 Football Qualifier

Kazakhstan v England

Saturday 6 June 2009,

Central Stadium, Almaty

Kickoff: 16:00

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan began their World Cup qualifying campaign in promising style with a 3-0 home victory over Andorra, but have since succumbed to four straight defeats, the latest being a 5-1 mauling by Belarus.

Seven points off second placed Croatia, it would take a miracle for Kazakhstan to pull themselves back into contention to qualify for South Africa, and thus they have little more than pride to play for in their remaining games.

Best Kazakhstan Odds for Online Betting:

Bet on Kazakhstan to win at 15 from

England

England sit comfortably atop Group Six, five points clear of second placed Croatia, having won all five of their qualifiers thus far.

The Three Lions have lost just one of their last eleven internationals, and have won on all three of their previous trips away from England during the qualifying campaign.

England coach Fabio Capello has, however, seen his options for Kazakhstan diminished by a number of end of season injuries. In the goalkeeping department, David James, Chris Kirkland, and Ben Foster all miss out, while wingers Aaron Lennon and Stewart Downing are also absent.


Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand are additional injury losses, while Ashley Cole is doubtful.

Best Online Betting Odds for England:

Bet on England to win at 1.18 from

Prediction

England overcame a shaky start to run out 5-1 victors in last October's England vs Kazakhstan meeting at Wembley. That game marked the first occasion the two nations had squared off at professional level, and thus there is little history to delve into when assessing England’s chances on Saturday.

Kazakhstan showed good determination to prevent England getting on the score-sheet for the first half at Wembley. It was only once their morale dropped following Rio Ferdinand’s opener that England really had things their own way, and it is noticeable that some England players have urged caution ahead of the trip to Almaty.

Striker Peter Crouch has been particularly vocal about England’s “trip into the unknown”, but there is little in Kazakhstan’s previous qualifying record to suggest that Capello’s men should be unduly worried.

England have had a more assured air to them since the Italian took charge, and while away days often got off to awkward starts in the days of Steve McLaren and Sven Goran Eriksson, this England squad have the quality and composure to swat aside their weekend opponents.

With that in mind, it would be difficult to bet against anything but a comfortable England victory on Saturday.

Prediction: Kazakhstan 0 - 4 England

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