Zambia W vs Japan W prediction: WORLD: World Cup Women betting tips on match 2023-07-21 07:00.
A historic day beckons for fans of the Zambia women’s national team as FIFA’s 77th-ranked nation take part in their first-ever Women’s World Cup (WWC). The Zambians are clearly unfancied to progress as the lowest-ranked side at the tournament, though the fact they have more than 1000 km fewer to travel than any other team in Group C could provide a springboard to surprise.
Despite their scoring prowess, it is Zambia’s leaky defence that has been cited in many quarters as being their most likely downfall. Perhaps conceding eight times across their three pre-tournament friendlies goes some way to explain that consensus, yet the fact they also scored eight goals in those friendlies against top-22 ranked Republic of Ireland, Switzerland and Germany – sensationally beating Germany in the process – may well keep #11-ranked Japan on their toes.
The affectionately known Nadeshiko Japan will be hoping to reignite the 2010s golden era in which they won the 2011 WWC before finishing as runners-up to the United States four years later, beating no fewer than four tournament debutants on the way to that final. A repeat of that 2015 run may not yield spectacular victories though, with all six of Japan’s wins that year arriving by slender single-goal margins.
Fast forward to 2023, and this Japan squad has a number of talented picks who currently ply their trade in the prestigious English Women’s Super League. The likes of Manchester City’s Yui Hasegawa and West Ham United’s Risa Shimizu netted three goals between them in Japan’s latest friendly, a thumping 5-0 win over Panama which brought their tally up to ten goals scored across their last four games.
Players to watch: Barbra Banda will likely lead the line for Zambia, and she often does so to great effect after scoring at least twice as many goals as any other player (10) in their 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championship success. Nineteen-year-old Japan starlet Maika Hamano could be the ideal figurehead up front in the absence of Mana Iwabuchi. The terrific teen sealed a move to Chelsea in January before being loaned out to Hammarby IF, where she helped them to a first Swedish Cup since 1995!
Hot stat: There have been 3.17 second-half goals scored on average across Zambia’s last six outings.