5th December 2022 – 16:00, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah
Japan and Croatia will open Monday’s action in the World Cup 2022 Round of 16. The Samurai are full of confidence after beating Germany and Spain, while Vatreni will seek another impressive campaign.
Japan Preview & Team Team
Japan’s chances of progressing beyond round 16 became evident in their last group-stage match against Spain. The Japanese grabbed a 2-1 winner in the game after coming from 1-nil down. Despite scoring early in the game in the 11th minute, Spain couldn’t score another. A dramatic second half saw Japan score twice to progress to round 16. Croatia is a familiar foe, so expect another great performance from the Japanese in this game. A pair of wins against Germany and Spain boosted Japan’s confidence, and they will try to produce another upset against the World Cup 2018 runners-up.
Croatia Preview & Team News
Croatia is on the radar of everyone watching the 2022 World Cup. Will they go all the way to the finals as they did in 2018? The Checkered Ones reached this far in the 2022 World Cup on five points from the group stage. They may have failed to score in two of the three group-stage matches, but one thing stands out. Croatia is prepared defensively to take on high-pressing teams like Japan. However, the lack of reliable goal scorers is something we have witnessed and expect the Croatian coach, Zlatko Dalic, to address at this point. Ivan Perisic brings a lot to the national team with his experience, and he might be a crucial guy for Vatreni in this match.
Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction
It is going to be a close game, and Japan shouldn’t be underestimated in this encounter. Therefore, this match might go to extra time or eventually to the penalty shootout.
Goals Market Prediction
The Samurai can cause many issues to the opponent’s defense with their quick transitions. On the other hand, Croatia has a lot of experience, and we might see goals in both nets.
Japan vs Croatia
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