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After knocking off Scotland, Ukraine is set to face their second British national team on their path to the World Cup, playing Wales for the last European spot in the 2022 World Cup. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our World Cup Qualifier odds series, which includes our Wales-Ukraine prediction and pick we have laid out below.
Wales have been waiting for a while to play this game. Due to circumstances not linked to football, despite beating Austria on the 24th of March, the smallest British country is only now going to play a decisive game for UEFA qualification to the World Cup. It would be their first appearance at a World Cup since 1958. Ukraine beat Scotland 3-1 and they are seemingly Europe's team to pass through in this matchup. Of course, a huge part of that is what is going on in Ukraine right now, but they have also been impressive on the football field as well. It is a key match for them.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Wales-Ukraine World Cup Qualifier odds:
World Cup Qualifier Odds: Wales-Ukraine Odds
Wales: (+180)
Ukraine: (+170)
Draw: (+200)
Over: 2.5 (+146)
Under: 2.5 (-182)
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Why Wales Could Win This Match
This is the best opportunity Wales has had in a while to get to a World Cup. As the smaller brother of England and Scotland, they have been dismissed for a very long time, even considered an easy team to get the full six points from in qualification groups. Now, through the second round, they have a real chance of appearing in a World Cup and taking this generation of footballers to Qatar. It would only be right that almost the same generation that won the bronze in the 2016 EURO also gets them to the World Cup.
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Speaking of this generation, individual talent is a huge reason why Wales has a chance in this match. A ton of their players play for big English and European clubs and usually play better for Wales than for their teams. Gareth Bale has not featured a ton for Real Madrid this year, but he has been great for Wales, scoring a brace versus Austria to put them through to this final. Bale will be a huge reason why Wales come back to the World Cup, if they are to do so.
Now, it will be difficult, especially due to the emotional background of the game for the Ukrainian team. However, Wales have a good squad, a great coach, and a recent record that states that they only have a singular loss in the last ten games. A lot of the games were draws, granted, but when it is that close, individual talent will be important and that is where someone like Bale can make all the difference. Wales will not let this opportunity slip.
Why Ukraine Could Win This Match
The pure emotion of the win Ukraine had over Scotland in their last match was incredible to see. This team of individuals is playing for something greater than football and that is visible when they play. When it comes to reasons for winning, there is no better reason for a team to win a game than bringing joy to a nation of people that sorely needs it. However, when it comes to the tangible, Ukraine still has a ton of things going for them, including individual talent.
The guys from the EPL are the main parts of this Ukraine roster. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Andriy Yarmolenko are the players that drive this team forward. There is also Roman Yaremchuk and the young talent Artem Dovbyk, who is just 24 right now. These guys and the rest of the roster have true potential and they will be looking to bring Ukraine back to the World Cup. Last time out, in Germany in 2006, Ukraine actually finished 8th, falling to eventual winners Italy in the quarterfinals.
The individual talent, together with robust support and the emotional background, means that Ukraine has a better than no chance of winning this game. Of course, it will be very hard. Wales might have not always been a great squad, but they were always compact and difficult to break down. Still, this Ukraine team has shown a ton of grit and determination, so they will be looking at this game as a unique opportunity to come back to the world stage in football.
Final Wales-Ukraine Prediction & Pick
This will be a heavily contested match. Ukraine is adamant about attacking football with a ton of chances created, while Wales can always retreat to their stability. With a World Cup spot on the line, we will likely see a match down to the wire. Still, due to the recent performance we saw against Scotland, our final Wales-Ukraine prediction will go in the direction of Ukraine winning at the Cardiff City Stadium in Wales.
Final Wales-Ukraine Pick: Ukraine (+170)
