It has certainly been Harry Kane’s World Cup so far. The England striker has bagged six goals in three games at the tournament and has been one of the stars of the show. After his blistering start, helped out by converted penalty kicks, he got back down to business in England’s round of sixteen success against Colombia after being rested against Belgium at the end of the group stage.
That’s six goals for the Tottenham man then and half of them have been penalties but they all count. Kane has hit that magic six number which is the average tally of goals that each Golden Boot winner has scored in the last ten editions of the World Cup. So he is well on track and starts the quarterfinals two clear of Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku.
Harry Kane is at 11/4 odds with bet365 in the First Goalscorer market* (betting odds taken from July 5th, 2018 at 7:05 pm) for the Three Lions’ tussle with Sweden in the quarterfinals on Saturday. England went to the tournament knowing that they are going to rely solely on the big man to deliver the goods for them and captain Kane has stepped up to the plate. No-one will really care if it is another penalty or a goal from a set piece that Kane gets to send England through to the semi-finals.
At the tournament has scored a goal every 45 minutes on average and that puts him well ahead of the rest of the field. You imagine now with the maximum of three games left for any remaining player at the tournament, that he could hold on. He can of course actually add to that tally and if you don’t fancy him in the first goalscorer market against the Swedes then you back him at a great price of 21/20* (betting odds taken from July 5th, 2018 at 7:05 pm) in the anytime goalscorer market with bet365.
Sweden v England Winner Odds*
England 19/20
Draw 23/10
Sweden 19/5
* (betting odds taken from July 5th, 2018 at 7:05 pm)
Kane is England’s focal point. He has stepped up and held his nerve when his country has needed him. England are 11/2 odds to score a penalty in the quarter-final while Kane is at 5/1 to score at least two goals* (betting odds taken from July 5th, 2018 at 7:05 pm) in the fixture. The general thought though is that England will have their work cut out for them against Sweden, who are a strong defensive side and who stay very organised across their back line.
Ultimately England’s progress at the 2018 World Cup seems to be fully on the shoulders of Kane from the goalscoring department. England will go into tie against Sweden as favourites to win it and the key difference between the two sides could well be the extra quality that England are able to boast up front. Sweden don’t have that world class touch up there.
A Harry Kane/England Score/Win Double is at 13/8 odds* (betting odds taken from July 5th, 2018 at 7:05 pm) as the Three Lions look to make it through to the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1990. That would be some accomplishment from Gareth Southgate’s young charges.
The opportunity is right in front of their faces and in winning this quarter-final it would guarantee two more games for Kane to try and join Brazil’s Ronaldo as the only man to have scored more than six goals in a World Cup since the 1978 edition (8).
