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Wales vs Netherlands prediction: No dream start for Dragons

Wales vs Netherlands prediction: No dream start for Dragons

Independent04-07-2025
Wales face the Netherlands in their opening match of Euro 2025 on Saturday, with the British side hoping to spring a surprise in Lucerne (5pm, BBC1).
Wales are the lowest-ranked team in the competition, sitting in 30th in the Fifa world rankings, and though they lost just one of their 10 games in qualifying, they have struggled in recent meetings with top-tier nations, with recent losses to Denmark and Italy in the Nations League.
Meanwhile the Dutch, who won this tournament in 2017, don't quite enter among the favourites to win the competition, though a squad containing players such as Wieke Kaptein, Vivianne Miedema and Danielle van de Donk is enough to threaten any side in the competition.
The Netherlands are the overwhelming favourites for Saturday's game, with betting sites making them no bigger than 1/5 to beat Rhian Wilkinson's side in what will be Wales' first-ever match at a major tournament.
Wales vs Netherlands betting preview: No slip-ups from former champs
Wales couldn't have asked for a tougher assignment at their maiden summer tournament than to be placed in Group D of these Euros.
The section contains two of the top sides in the outright Euro 2025 odds, England and France, well as 20/1 outsiders the Netherlands. For comparison, Wales are priced at 300/1 to win Euro 2025.
The Welsh have won just one of their last 10 matches, conceding 14 goals in that time and keeping just two clean sheets.
Their recent Nations League A campaign revealed some worrying flaws in Wilkinson's team as they failed to win any of their games against Sweden, Denmark and Italy, losing 4-1 to the latter in their most recent outing.
With the Dutch having won six of their last 10 – and losing only to the likes of the USA and Germany – while scoring 20 goals in the process, it looks like this match will only go one way for Wales.
Adding a Dutch win to nil, which they've achieved in the last three meetings with Wales, will boost the odds on a Netherlands victory on football betting sites.
Wales vs Netherlands best bets: Miedema to get Dutch on their way
Vivianne Miedema remains one of the star names on the Dutch teamsheet, with the Manchester City striker having seemingly fully recovered from the knee surgery she underwent in October.
The 28-year-old scored seven goals in her 11 league appearances this season and more recently, she featured in the Netherlands' warm-up match against Finland on 26 June, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win.
The former Arsenal striker has a superb international record, having scored 99 times in 125 appearances, and we're backing her to add to that tally against Wales at the weekend, with odds offered around 4/6.
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