Belgium vs. England Betting Odds Preview, World Cup 2018 Prediction, Analysis

Belgium will try to rebound from its first shutout defeat in competitive play in more than two years when it battles England for third place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Saturday's matchup at Saint Petersburg Stadium.

Tuesday's 1-0 loss to France as +195 underdogs in semifinal action also marked the first defeat in 25 matches across all competitions for the Red Devils. England is coming off a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in extra time to Croatia that denied the Three Lions their first trip to the World Cup final since their last tournament triumph in 1966.

World Cup betting line: Belgium opened as a +128 favorite (wager $100 to win $128); the total is at three goals, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)

World Cup betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 2.2-0.8, England (2018 World Cup picks on every game)

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Belgium vs. England World Cup Matchup Analysis

Saturday's contest marks the second meeting between these two sides at this year's tournament. Both Belgium and England stormed to victories over Panama and Tunisia in the group stage, setting the stage for a showdown to determine who would finish atop Group G.

However, with both squads looking to avoid the seemingly eventual clash with Brazil that a victory would bring, they each rested regulars, resulting in an uninspired match that Belgium won 1-0.

Both sides nearly paid the price for their indifferent play in that contest. Belgium was forced to mount a second-half comeback to get past Japan 3-2 in the round of 16, while England needed penalties to top Colombia.

Each side rose to the occasion in crucial quarterfinal matches, but neither was up to the task in the semis. Belgium's vaunted attack was shut down by France in their frustrating 1-0 loss, while the Three Lions were listless in their loss to Croatia as +115 chalk, raising concerns as to how much fight is left in either squad.

England has posted wins in three of five meetings overall. However, each team has claimed a win in four previous head-to-head meetings at major international tournaments.

All 2018 World Cup odds and betting trends according to Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app.