Can England bring football that bit closer home when they take on Colombia at 7pm on ITV?

Though losing your final group game isn’t ideal, you can’t help but feel Gareth Southgate’s lads have got the better deal than last Thursday’s victors Belgium. While Roberto Martinez’s men face Brazil in the quarter-finals, only to then deal with France or Uruguay if they get to the semis, England happen to be the only former World Cup winners in their side of the draw.



Now that doesn’t necessarily mean a lot given that much-celebrated victory is over 50 years old. However, England do perhaps have their best chance of reaching a World Cup final since Italia 90’s semi-final spot-kick heartbreak against West Germany. Beat Colombia and it’s on to Sweden or Switzerland in the quarters, with one of Russia or Croatia looming in the semis. All teams with plenty of individual quality, no doubt – but still, there’s hope.

The return of Harry Kane, still the tournament’s top scorer with 5 goals and at 8/11 to win the Golden Boot, is the biggest difference between Thursday’s loss to Belgium and Tuesday’s last-16 fixture. The Tottenham star heads to Moscow with a Super Mega PGM spread of 37-43, comfortably ahead of Jamie Vardy at 22-27, Danny Welbeck and Marcus Rashford, both of whom are at 16-20.

As for Colombia, their biggest question is over the fitness of 2014 Golden Boot ace James Rodriguez, who picked up a knock in last week’s vital 1-0 win over Senegal. Luckily the South Americans still have talisman captain, and all-time top scorer, Radamel Falcao, who sits at a Super Mega PGM of 21-26.

Since 1990 England have won just 2 World Cup knockout games, the last coming back in 2006. Yet they should, just maybe, add a third on Tuesday, with Spreadex offering a tentative England/Colombia Goal Supremacy spread of 0.3-0.5 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.05-2.25.

Of course, before all that, England and Colombia will find out who their potential opponent will be, as Sweden face Switzerland at 3pm on BBC One. The Swedes were the shock Group F-toppers, their victories over South Korea and Mexico making up for the undeserved last minute loss against (limply) defending champions Germany. Yet to score, Marcus Berg is still likely their best shot up front, the 31-year old at a Super Mega PGM of 16-20.



For Switzerland, their path to the knockouts came as Group E runners-up, a 90th minute win over Serbia sandwiched between draws against Brazil and Costa Rica. Scorer of Euro 2016’s goal of the tournament, Xherdan Shaqiri’s at a Super Mega PGM of 18-22, with Josip Drmic at 14-18.

The last-16’s penultimate fixture could be tight, with Spreadex offering a Switzerland/Sweden Goal Supremacy spread of 0.1-0.3 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.1-2.3.