World Cup 2014 11am Bulletin: England expects... a few favours from Italy

Meet Mario Balotelli - England's new favourite World Cup player

The Three Lions haven't been eliminated yet, but require a lot of help from Italy if it is to stay that way...

England are unquestionably down, but they are not quite out - at least not until 18:45-18:50 tonight anyway.

While England require all three results in the remaining Group D games to go their way, it isn't like they are chasing an absurdly convoluted combination or specific scorelines. They simply need the three favourites to vindicate their billing.

That means Italy beating Costa Rica at 1.564/7, the Azzurri doing England another favour by defeating Uruguay at 2.77/4 and the 1.654/6-rated Three Lions sinking Costa Rica (by two goals if Los Ticos only lose by one to Italy). No wonder Mario Balotelli is demanding a kiss on the cheek from The Queen.

Put in those terms, it sounds far from infeasible, with the main concern perhaps being that if Italy do deliver tonight and England are leading Costa Rica on the final matchday, Cesare Prandelli's side and Uruguay may be happy to settle for a draw that would guide both through in first and second.

No team have ever qualified after losing their first two group ties, though if you still believe, you can find odds of 9.28/1 on Roy Hodgson's squad's Group D adventure producing an unlikely happy ending.

Another nation plotting a late ambush is Greece, despite a seventh zero in eight World Cup matches. They survived 52 minutes with ten men to hold Japan 0-0, and as Colombia conquered Ivory Coast 2-1, the Group C standings heading into the finale are: Colombia 6, Ivory Coast 3, Japan 1, Greece 1.

It means that a win over Ivory Coast will see the Euro 2004 champions through (provided Japan don't beat already-safe Colombia by a margin one goal slimmer). They have past experience of such unexpected progress from Euro 2012, when they jumped Russia, and are 5.79/2 to do it to Ivory Coast.

As for Friday's fare, the 17:00 clash between Italy and Costa Rica has become one of the biggest of the tournament for those of an English persuasion, and Dave Farrar foresees Antonio Candreva emerging as the toast of Red Lions, White Harts and King's Heads throughout the country.

James Eastham judges France and Switzerland's 20:00 encounter as one for the both-teams-to-score backers, and he thinks that those who hang around for Honduras v Ecuador at 23:00 will be rewarded with similar entertainment.

Recommended Bet: Back Greece to qualify from Group C @ 5.79/2