England’s surprise draw against the USA means Gareth Southgate’s side need a result against rivals Wales heading into Group B’s final group stage clash.
The Three Lions’ superb win against Iran put the side in a fantastic position but they were held in a disappointing 0-0 stalemate against the UMSNT.
Iran’s victory against Wales earlier in the day means all four nations are still in with a shot of reaching the knockout stages.
With that in mind, Metro.co.uk’s taken a look at what the Three Lions need to qualify for the next round and why coming second in the group could actually help the side’s chances of glory in Qatar.
What do England and Wales need to qualify from Group B?
England’s draw against the USA has taken the wind out of the Three Lions’ sail somewhat but their hopes of qualifying for the next round are very much still in their hands.
Simply, England must avoid a four-goal defeat to Wales on Tuesday to reach the knockout rounds.
The 6-2 win against Iran in the first group stage match means England have a superior goal difference to their rivals and Wales must win handsomely to progress.
England can guarantee top spot by beating Wales but they could still come top if they draw against the Welsh and Iran fail to beat the USA.
Wales must beat England by a four-goal margin and then hope for a draw between the USA and Iran.
Who could England face if they finish top of Group B?
Should England top their group, they will play the next round fixture against the runners-up of Group A on Sunday 4th December at 7pm.
Currently, Ecuador are in second place in Group A heading into the final fixture but they are level on points with league leaders Netherlands and just one ahead of Senegal.
The Netherlands face Qatar in their last fixture so it’s safe to assume that Louis van Gaal’s side will finish as group winners, meaning England would face Senegal or Ecuador if they top their own group.
Who could England face if they come second of Group B?
Given Netherlands are likely to beat Qatar, the Three Lions would face Holland in the next round if they finish second in Group B.
The winner of Netherlands-England would then likely take on France in the quarter-finals if Didier Deschamps’ men see off their second-round opponents.
If England reached the semi-finals, they could meet either Belgium or Portugal, and one of Spain, Brazil or Germany would likely await in the final.
Would it be better for English to finish second?
Though it’s a risk to strategically aim to finish second, there is a school of thought that doing so could benefit England in the long-term.
A theoretically tougher fixture against Netherlands is likely to await England if they finish runners-up in their group.
However, should the Three Lions see of Netherlands then they could face an easier route to the final.
By coming second, England could face the likes of Argentina or Denmark in the last-eight with Spain, Germany, or Brazil in the semi-finals.
Though the semi-final stage is tougher with England finishing second in their group, many feel that the easier fixtures in the last-16 and last-eight would give the Three Lions the momentum to see off any opponent in the last four.
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