Japan v Poland 2018 World Cup Odds & Prediction

Poland has nothing to play for in its Group H finale Thursday, while Japan is tied for first with Senegal. All the Japanese need to assure a spot in the knockout round is a draw. They are favored on the 2018 World Cup odds to win at MyBookie Sportsbook, which could give them the group. If you want to keep up with everything around the 2018 FIFA World Cup, be sure to check our soccer news page on a daily basis, which includes previews, reviews, predictions, and more.

2018 World Cup Odds & Expert Prediction: Japan v Poland

Inspired as a child watching Korea/Japan 2002 on home soil

Lee Jaesung has realised his dream of playing at the #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/vnIKSD84iH — FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) 27 de junio de 2018

• When: Thursday, 10 AM ET
• Where: Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, Russia
• TV/Stream: Fox Sports 1/Fox Sports Go
• 2018 World Cup Betting Odds: Japan +153 / Poland +180 / Draw +215 (total 2.5)

Why Bet on Japan?

• Confederation: AFC
• Head coach: Akira Nishino
• Captain: Makoto Hasebe
• FIFA Ranking: 61
• World Cup Appearances: 6

If Japan loses, it still can advance. If Colombia beat Senegal, Japan will need to lose by fewer goals than Senegal to progress. Japan will progress if they get at least a draw. Japan opened the tournament with a 2-1 upset of Colombia and then drew 2-2 with Senegal, rallying down from a goal twice. Keisuke Honda, Japan’s record World Cup goalscorer, scored the final goal of the match from close range in the 78th minute after the Senegal goalkeeper had missed a cross completely. It was Honda’s fourth goal in a World Cup finals. Japan was unchanged from the side that beat Colombia. Honda’s goal was his 37th for Japan, tying him level with Hiromi Hara as the 4th highest goalscorer for their national team – only Kunishige Kamamoto, Kazuyoshi Miura, and Shinji Okazaki have more. Honda is now the top-scoring Asian player in World Cup history, netting four goals in nine total appearances in the competition. Honda scored in his third different World Cup finals tournament for Japan (2010, 2014, 2018) — he is the first Japanese player to do this. Takashi Inui has scored three goals in his last three games for Japan, this after scoring just two in his previous 26 matches for this national team. His goal in this game versus Senegal was Takashi Inui’s first competitive goal for Japan after his previous four all came in friendly matches. Despite having to twice come from a goal down, Japan boss Akira Nishino wanted to go for the win that would have all-but secured his side’s passage to the last-16. Nishino, who has promised an attacking philosophy since taking over the reins in April, used all three of his substitutions on offensive players. “Of course in the second half we wanted to win,” Nishino told reporters. “After equalizing twice I put in Usami — I could have put a defender in but I put in the attacker — and we earned one point. All the substitutes were attackers. I believe I used them well in terms of timing, and all three of them are attackers and are point-getters.” Maya Yoshida, who plays for Southampton in the English Premier League, explained Japan’s strengths: “First of all, we don’t have a super-striker, and we don’t have that many star players. So we have to play as a team, and as a team, we have to get to the goal. On the flip side, that means we have many possibilities of scoring a goal and it’s not only one person responsible for that, so we have to create attacks from various patterns.” Japan have won each of their two encounters against Poland, winning 5-0 in February 1996 and 2-0 in March 2002.

Projected Line-Up

• 1-E. Kawashima
• 22-M. Yoshida
• 5-Y. Nagatomo
• 19-H. Sakai
• 3-G. Shōji
• 17-M. Hasebe
• 14-T. Inui
• 10-S. Kagawa
• 8-G. Haraguchi
• 7-G. Shibasaki
• 15-Y. Ōsako

Why Bet on Poland?

• Confederation: UEFA
• Head coach: Adam Nawałka
• Captain: Robert Lewandowski
• FIFA Ranking: 8
• World Cup Appearances: 8

Nothing to see here for the Poles as only pride is at stake. They lost 2-1 to Senegal and then 3-0 to Colombia. Poland’s golden opportunity fell to Robert Lewandowski in the 58th minute but Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina raced off his line to block the Bayern Munich striker’s shot. It proved to be a crucial moment in the game. Poland coach Adam Nawalka left stalwart center back Kamil Glik out of his starting side, with the inexperienced Jan Bednarek and Bartosz Bereszynski included in a reshuffled defense. Defender Thiago Cionek, who scored an own goal in the opening defeat Senegal, also dropped out of the starting line-up. There are likely to be some changes in the Polish starting XI for this one compared to the two previous games. Many expect that Lukasz Fabiański will replace Wojciech Szczesny in a goal, and there is also a possibility that Glik will start from the beginning. Bednarek will probably keep his place in the center of defense as Michal Pazdan is doubtful because of the injury he picked up against Colombia. Superstar Lewandowski will keep his place as he searches for his first World Cup goal. Poland entered the World Cup ranked highest of the four teams in Group H at eighth but ended up being the first team out of contention for the knockouts with a lackluster performance in their first two matches. Poland led their qualifying group almost from start to finish, finishing with eight wins, one draw and a defeat with Lewandowski leading Europe’s qualifying campaign with 16 of the side’s 28 goals. “Let’s be frank: we have been one of the worst teams of this tournament in the first two games. Why? There isn’t only one reason, it would be a long discussion,” Glik said this week. Poland’s only World Cup meeting with an Asian side came in 2002 – losing 2-0 in the group stages against South Korea.

Projected Line-Up

• 1-W. Szczęsny
• 2-M. Pazdan
• 20-Ł. Piszczek
• 4-T. Cionek
• 16-J. Błaszczykowski
• 13-M. Rybus
• 10-G. Krychowiak
• 19-P. Zieliński
• 11-K. Grosicki
• 9-R. Lewandowski
• 7-A. Milik

Expert Final Score Prediction

Japan 2 – Poland 0

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