The Matchday 3 clash of the World Cup between Japan and Spain in Group E will take place on December 1 at the Khalifa Stadium in Doha. Japan vs. Spain: prediction and betting odds, statistics for the 2022 World Cup.
Referee: Victor Gomes (South Africa)
Matches – 11 (International matches, 2020–2022);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 31;
Average yellow cards per match – 2.8;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 28;
Penalties – 45%.
Predicted lineups for Japan vs. Spain
Japan: Shuichi Gonda, Yuto Nagatomo, Maya Yoshida, Ko Itakura, Shogo Taniguchi, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Takefusa Kubo, Hidemasa Morita, Ao Tanaka, Daizen Maeda.
Spain: Unai Simon, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pau Torres, Alex Balde, Sergio Busquets, Rodri Hernandez, Pedri, Gavi, Alvaro Morata, Dani Olmo, Nico Williams.
Japan
In the second round of the World Cup in Qatar, Japan suffered a 0-1 defeat to Costa Rica. This was only the second time in their last seven World Cup matches that Japan failed to score. The team has secured only two wins in regular time in their last 10 World Cup fixtures (3 draws, 5 losses). Additionally, the Asian team has not kept a clean sheet in their last seven World Cup matches.
In their match against Costa Rica, Japan faced their first defeat in 12 previous official games (9 wins, 2 draws), interestingly conceding just four goals across all these matches. Despite this, Japan has shown good attacking prowess, scoring in 10 of their last 12 official matches.
Defenders Takehiro Tomiyasu and Hiroki Sakai have returned to the main group and will be ready for the upcoming match.
Spain
Spain shared the points with Germany in their second match of the 2022 World Cup (1-1). The Spanish team has not lost in regular time in their last seven World Cup matches (3 wins, 4 draws). After two games, Luis Enrique's side tops Group E, leading Japan and Costa Rica by one point. To advance to the playoffs, Spain only needs to avoid defeat in the upcoming match.
Spain is in good form, having avoided defeat in 9 of their last 10 official matches (6 wins, 3 draws). The team consistently scores, maintaining a scoring streak in 20 consecutive official matches. Additionally, Spain has defended well, conceding just three goals in their last six matches across all competitions.
Japan vs. Spain: Match Prediction
After a sensational victory over Germany in the first round, the Asian team came back to reality. Japan struggled to play as the dominant team against Costa Rica, lacking space upfront and unable to leverage their main attacking strength – speed. In the upcoming match, Japan will play as the underdog, but this time the opponent will be prepared for quick and effective counterattacks, making it more challenging for Japan, who need a win to advance to the playoffs regardless of the result of the parallel match.
Luis Enrique's team is in a favorable position in Group E. However, Spain should not relax and must remember Germany's disappointing experience in the first round. I believe the Europeans will take precautions and secure a comfortable win against Japan. My prediction: Spain to win with a handicap of (-1)
