England vs Wales Women Preview
England and Wales meet in a historic British Derby at Euro 2025 on July 13th at 8:00 pm. The Lionesses recovered from a poor performance in their opener to keep their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals alive. Wales will be hoping to give a good account of themselves in the final game of their first-ever European Championship campaign.
England are undefeated against the Dragons and look primed to reach the knockout stages. Can Wales finish with a huge upset in Group D, or will England see it through to continue their title defence?
England vs Wales Women Predictions
Score prediction: England 3-0 Wales
One of our best soccer predictions this week is for England to defeat Wales in their final group game. England’s opening game didn’t go to plan. Despite having more of the ball and creating some decent openings, they just didn’t look sharp enough in front of goal. However, they improved against the Netherlands and showed a lot more bite and energy. Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway looked a lot more composed in midfield. Those two will be key again here, especially in dictating the tempo and shutting down any Welsh counters before they really get going.
Out wide, Lauren Hemp and Lauren James should find a lot more joy against this Wales defence. Both are excellent one-on-one and have the pace to stretch the backline. This Wales defence will sit deep as England camp on their half and dominate possession. The elite attacking movement of Hemp, James, and Alessia Russo will be vital in creating gaps in a resolute backline.
England’s setup is tailor-made to cause problems for a team like Wales. The Dragons will sit deep and pack bodies behind the ball, making things compact and cutting off space for England’s forwards. With full-backs like Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood pushing high and wide, England will stretch the play and force Wales to constantly shift across the pitch. That kind of movement naturally creates little pockets of space, especially in the channels and just outside the box.
The wingers, likely Hemp and James, will stay wide to begin with, then cut inside to drag defenders out of position and open up space for overlapping runs. England’s midfield three also rotate well, with Keira Walsh often dropping deep to control things and drag markers out of position. It’s all designed to pull a deep block out of shape. If Wales sit in for long periods, England will look to stay patient, move the ball quickly, and eventually exploit the gaps that start to open up.
Wales isn’t just here to make up the numbers. This is their first ever European Championship, and they’ll be ready to take it to a different gear for a derby game like this. They’ve got some real leaders in their squad who they will rely on here. Jess Fishlock is their talisman in midfield, and the 38-year-old will help bring calm to a side that will be under pressure for most of the game. Defensively, they’ll sit deep, try to frustrate England, and then look to hit them on the break.
Their biggest threat could come from set pieces and quick transitions, but it’s hard to see them keeping England out for the full 90, especially with the quality the Lionesses have in reserve. Bringing on the likes of Ella Toone, Grace Clinton, or Chloe Kelly late on could be the difference if the game is still tight.
Ultimately, England should have too much. The pressure was on after that France defeat, but they showed great character in their demolition of the Netherlands. They will be goal-hungry once again. Expect another sharper, more aggressive performance from the Lionesses that will see them through to the quarter-finals.
Players to Watch
- Lauren James (Forward, England): Lauren James was imperious against the Netherlands, scoring twice in the 4-0 victory. The Chelsea forward is excellent at finding pockets of space or creating them herself with her delightful footwork. James is smooth on the ball and has physical attributes that let her bully defenders. Her creativity will be crucial in this game, with Wales likely to sit deep. She will be heavily involved in link-up play in the final third, and she will be the go-to woman to unlock this defence. Expect her to play in a free role, allowing her to operate anywhere in attack to help stretch that backline.
- Jess Fishlock (Midfielder, Wales): Jess Fishlock is the heartbeat of this Wales side. She’s been there, done it, and still plays with unbelievable energy and intensity. Even at 38, she covers a huge amount of ground and never shies away from a challenge. Fishlock brings calm when Wales need to settle, but she also knows exactly when to up the tempo and spark a counterattack. Against England, she’ll be key in breaking up play and helping Wales stay organised under pressure. Expect her to lead by example, put in a serious shift, and try to give her side a foothold whenever possible. If Wales are going to frustrate England, Fishlock’s role in the middle of the pitch will be massive.
England vs Wales Women Betting Tips
- Handicap – England -2: This is the best way to bet on England. The Lionesses are overwhelming favourites for this game, worth 1/25. They should be winning this fairly comfortably, keeping a clean sheet. We expect them to win by at least two goals. Anyone betting on the handicap should back England -2, worth 8/15.
- Player To Score – Lauren James: England were excellent in all facets of the game against the Netherlands, but their attackers stood out the most. Lauren James bagged a brace, and Oranje found her unplayable. She will have even more opportunities to score here against a weaker side. Back the Chelsea forward to score if you are betting on Euro 2025.
- Halftime Goals – Over 1.5: The Lionesses led 2-0 at halftime in their last game. Wales conceded two in the first half against France. Backing England to score over 1.5 goals before halftime is a good wager for anyone betting on soccer.
England vs Wales Women Head-To-Head and Key Stats
This will be the first time these sides have met since 2018. The Lionesses are undefeated against Wales, winning three and drawing one. Wales have failed to score against England in all four of their meetings and have conceded nine.
The Dragons began their Euro 2025 campaign against the Netherlands with a 3-0 defeat. They moved on to face France, a much tougher test. It was a nightmare start for the Dragons when Clara Mateo put Les Bleus ahead after eight minutes. However, Jess Fishlock made history when she scored their first-ever goal at the European Championships, finishing off an excellent counterattacking move.
Wales defended bravely for the rest of the first half, but Kadidiatou Diana converted a penalty in added time to send them into the break 2-1 ahead. France pulled further ahead after eight minutes in the second half through Amel Majri. Grace Geyoro put the result beyond doubt with a fourth in the 63rd minute. The Dragons defended valiantly but were powerless to resist France’s superior quality.
England faltered in their opener, losing 2-1 to France, but bounced back in their second against the Netherlands. The Lionesses dominated possession and saw their work pay off when Lauren James put them ahead in the 22nd minute. Georgia Stanway doubled their lead right before halftime to send them into the break 2-0 up.
Serena Weigman’s team continued to push forward in the second half, with the Netherlands struggling to find openings. James scored her second in the 60th minute before Ella Toone completed the 4-0 rout seven minutes later. That victory put the Lionesses in second place heading into a crucial closer in Group D.
