Japan vs Spain prediction: WORLD: World Cup betting tips on match 2022-11-30 19:00.
Itâs âEâ for enthralling in this World Cup group as Japan take on Spain with all four sides able to progress on a fascinating final day. Weâve already seen some major upsets this year and the unpredictability here is only heightened by this being their first-ever competitive meeting, so fasten your seatbelts as we approach a historically-turbulent patch in footballâs most famous competition!
After getting off to a flyer in a 2-1 win over Germany on matchday one, the Samurai Blue picked the wrong time to crash to a 1-0 loss to Costa Rica, their first-ever defeat to the Central Americans (W3, D1), missing out on a victory which would have guaranteed progression. Japan now know that a win here is their only guaranteed way of emulating their round of 16 appearance in 2018, whilst defeat would see them automatically eliminated.
It wonât be easy against a Spain side who are looking for two World Cup group-stage wins in a single edition for the first time since their triumphant 2010 campaign. La Roja can now smell the group-stage finishing line after Sundayâs 1-1 draw to Germany means they now need just a point to progress, and even a shock defeat to FIFAâs 28th-ranked side would still give them a decent chance of reaching the knockouts, thanks in part to their superior goal difference.
The âTiki-Takaâ kings have been typically stylish, with no side having managed more than their 12 build-up attacks of 10+ passes (which subsequently result in a shot or touch in the opposing team's box) after their last game. In search of an additional omen for this clash, they may look to AndrĂ©s Iniesta, scorer of their World Cup-winning goal in 2010, as the ex-Spain international is currently playing for top-flight Japanese side Vissel Kobe!
Key battle: Japan goalkeeper ShĆ«ichi Gonda will be looking for his first clean sheet in ten competitive games and a first-ever at the World Cup. Heâll face super-sub Ălvaro Morata, who struck in Spainâs draw to Germany, and is now the only Spanish international to ever score in consecutive games from the bench in this tournament
Hot streak: Each of Spainâs last six competitive wins have come âto nilâ.
World Cup trivia: All final-stage World Cup group contests are now played at the same time after the âDisgrace in GijĂłnâ at the 1982 World Cup in Spain, whereby West Germany and Austria appeared to ensure a 1-0 win to the Germans in their final group game which saw them both progress at the expense of Algeria!