World Cup Opta Stats: No happy ending for England B

Frank Lampard will start in a heavily-rotated England side

The Opta trends hint that England will net no more than once and Italy will progress as Group D signs off...

Costa Rica v England
Tuesday, 17:00
Live on ITV

Match Odds: Costa Rica 4.67/2, England 1.855/6, The Draw 4.03/1

The Three Lions haven't scored more than one goal in any of their last eight games at the World Cup

Indeed, Opta note that England only notched six times across those eight World Cup encounters, so why they are odds-on to fire two or more past a defence that locked out Italy is difficult to decipher. It took Roy Hodgson's side 75 minutes to pierce through the Uruguay backline that Costa Rica carved open three times, and the man who got the goal, Wayne Rooney, won't be playing in Belo Horizonte.

Best Bet: Lay England to score two goals or more @ 1.910/11

Both teams have scored in seven of Costa Rica's last 10 World Cup matches (3.6 goals per game)

There is at least statistical support for England striking once in their final fixture before a grim flight home and the usual summer of unduly volatile criticism. They did after all score against Italy and Uruguay, even though those efforts were swiftly rendered meaningless, and the Azzurri were the first opponents that Costa Rica actually shut out in 14 outings since creeping past Belize 1-0 last July.

Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score @ 1.84/5

Italy v Uruguay
Tuesday, 17:00
Live on ITV4

Match Odds: Italy 2.68/5, Uruguay 2.982/1, The Draw 3.55/2

Italy have lost only three of their 19 World Cup games against South American opposition

Though talk of catenaccio and caution don't apply to Cesare Prandelli's Italy incarnation, it is still accurate to suggest that there are few more fiendish foes to face in a must-win match, because they are so hard to beat in high-stakes showdowns. While they regularly stink out stadiums in friendlies, the four-time world champions have lost just three of their 33 competitive contests under Prandelli.

Recommended Bet: Back Italy to win (draw no bet) @ 1.865/6

Luis Suarez has netted five times in his seven World Cup appearances

Uruguay are outsiders in their bid for a round-of-16 spot, as a qualification price of 3.02/1 emphasises, but Suarez made it clear against England that he will be doing everything in his power to defy those odds. The 27-year-old is already his country's all-time leading scorer on 40 goals and his compatriots have struck at least once in five of their past six clashes with Italy, including each of the last three.

Recommended Bet: Back Suarez to score @ 2.77/4