It's a critical game for the United States Men's National Team when they take on Wales in their Group B opener at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The USMNT and Wales will be desperate to take points from this matchup with England and Iran also in Group B. The Americans have the youngest squad in the World Cup 2022 and will be trying to make up for missing the 2018 edition, breaking a string of seven straight appearances. The Welsh have not played in the sport's signature event in 64 years. They made the quarterfinals in 1958, while the U.S. have reached the knockout stage four times in nine overall appearances. The teams have never met in an official competition.
Kickoff in Ar-Rayyan, Qatar is set for 2 p.m. ET. The USMNT are the +135 favorites on the money line (risk $100 to win $135) in Caesars Sportsbook's latest USA vs. Wales odds. Wales are +230 underdogs, a draw is priced at +200, and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you lock in your Wales vs. USA picks or 2022 FIFA World Cup predictions, be sure to check out the best bets and analysis from SportsLine soccer insider Jon Eimer.
Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, Eimer has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more. He is an impressive 48-25-1 on his Premier League picks for SportsLine in 2022, for a profit of almost $1,800 for $100 bettors. He also went 20-12 on his World Cup Qualifying picks, for a return of almost $600.
Now, Eimer has broken down the USA vs. Wales matchup from all sides and just locked in his World Cup picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Wales vs. USA:
- USA vs. Wales spread: USA -0.5 (+130)
- USA vs. Wales over/under: 2.5 goals
- USA vs. Wales money line: USA +135, Wales +230, Draw +200
- USA: USA has an 18-7 advantage in goals in its past 10 competitive games
- WAL: Wales has outscored its opponents 15-14 in its past 10 official matches
- USA vs. Wales picks: See picks here
Why you should back the USMNT
The Americans have a deep, talented team, and Wales are getting long in the tooth. Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey carry nearly the entire load, and if the Americans are effective, they can keep the counter-attack in check. Bale might not even be able to play a full match – he has played 90 minutes just once since late March. There are few quality players in reserve, so the young Americans should have a clear edge in work rate. The USMNT have multiple players competing with top European teams (once a rarity), including Christian Pulisic with Chelsea and Weston McKennie at Juventus.
Wales went 0-1-5 in their most recent competition, the UEFA Nations League. The Americans have won once in their past five (1-2-2), but they should be close to full health. The victory was a 5-0 demolition of Grenada, when Jesus Ferreira had four goals. If he or someone like Josh Sargeant or Gio Reyna provides a spark alongside Pulisic, the USA could make a run. Pulisic had five goals in qualifying as the Americans scored 21 goals and yielded 10 in 14 games.
Why you should back Wales
Wales haven't played on the world's largest stage in decades, but they have plenty of experience against the world's top clubs. Wales have scored at least once in 15 of their 17 matches since the start of World Cup qualifying in 2021. They had a 14-9 goal edge in 10 qualifying matches before scoring three goals and conceding one in beating Austria and Ukraine in the playoff matches. Wales also have far more experienced players than the Americans.
The team's success has hinged on Gareth Bale, once one of the world's top strikers, and Aaron Ramsey. Bale is 33, but he still has plenty of magic in him. It was his goal on a free kick that beat the Ukrainians, and he also scored the equalizer for LAFC – in the 128th minute – to send the MLS Cup to penalties, where they won the title. Wales showed their pride and grit in winning that match with Ukraine, a team most of the world was backing to advance. Bale and Ramsey scored or assisted on nine of the 13 goals in the team's last two major competitions – Euro 2016 and 2020.
How to make USA vs. Wales picks
Eimer has broken down Monday's Wales vs. USMNT match from every angle. He is leaning Under on the goal total and has two other confident best bets, including one that returns plus money, and a full breakdown of the match. He's only sharing his World Cup picks and analysis at SportsLine.
So who wins USA vs. Wales in Monday's 2022 FIFA World Cup matchup? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the USA vs. Wales match, all from the expert who's crushed his soccer picks, and find out.
