Japan vs Costa Rica
Two nations who have had contrasting fortunes so far in World Cup 2022 are set to go head-to-head this Sunday at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.
Japan are fresh from a stunning victory over Group E favourites Germany, while Costa Rica were on the receiving end of a brutal beatdown at the hands of Spain.
The Samurai Blue are suddenly one step closer to make it to the knockout phase and a victory over the downtrodden Los Ticos would essentially seal the deal.
It’s still not the end of the world for Costa Rica, though, since there are a few more games to play here in the group stage. However, time is running out for Luis Suarez and co. to try and salvage their campaign in Qatar.
Talking Points
Bundesliga stars provide the spark for Japan
Japan’s win against Germany was a game of two different halves. After trailing by one goal at half-time, Hajime Moriyasu changed the team’s formation by having two wingers at wing-back, a back three, and a front-three behind two central midfielders.
Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano were the representations Moriyasu’s tactical adjustment, and it’s no coincidence that they were the ones who found the back of the net in the second half.
With these Bundesliga standouts in the lineup, the Samurai Blue were the more aggressive side late as they attacked the slow-footed German defenders.
Doan’s goal was off a rebound after a foray from the left flank, while Asano beat Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck from the right wing to complete the comeback – much to the dismay of German coach Hansi Flick.
Doan and Asano are not the only European talents that Moriyasu can rely on, as Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal) can also provide instant impact for the Samurai Blue.
Costa Rica must display fighting spirit
The odds were stacked against Costa Rica to begin with since they were grouped alongside two recent World Cup champions Spain and Germany, and their 7-0 loss to La Roja just showed the fact that they are light-years behind.
Manager Luis Suarez was heavily scrutinised because he switched to a 5-4-1 formation, as many thought that they will be hunting for the equaliser when they fell behind early.
In the end, Costa Rica finished the match without a single shot, which is tragic since they were guilty of the same display against Brazil back in 1990.
Earlier this week, Suarez lauded Keylor Navas for being a warrior but the goalkeeper was poorly rated in the game and it’s not all his fault. Suarez might need to make several changes in his lineup, particularly in the middle and at the back to shield their aging captain.
Joel Campbell has yet to show up in this tournament, and the former Arsenal forward must re-introduce himself up front alongside youngster Anthony Contreras.
Before the opener on Thursday, Costa Rica’s previous worst margin of defeat was three goals and it happened three times. They lost 4-1 to Czechoslovakia in 1990, 5-2 to Brazil in 2002, and 3-0 to Ecuador in 2006.
Furthermore, the main goal for them now is to salvage some pride by not losing in all three group stage matches to avoid the same outcome that they experienced back in 2006.
History
Japan and Costa Rica have met four times before this Sunday. The Samurai Blue have never lost in those encounters (W3, D1), but they’ve only scored exactly three goals in all three wins during the said run.
Costa Rica haven’t fared well against Asian opposition as their last win dates back to the 2002 World Cup where they defeated China 2-0.
After stunning Germany in the last time out, Japan are aiming to win back-to-back World Cup games for the first time since 2002 where they did it against Tunisia and Russia.
Since winning over Uruguay and Italy during the 2014 World Cup group stage, Costa Rica haven’t won in their previous seven World Cup fixtures (D4, L3) and they failed to score in five of those.
Betting Tip
Taking into account their recent World Cup 2022 results, the SBOTOP World Cup 2022 odds are backing Japan to win. The Samurai Blue are installed at 1.43, while Costa Rica are huge underdogs at 7.40 and the draw is at 4.20 in the 1X2 market.
Of course Costa Rica would want to bounce back from their demoralising defeat, but it’s hard to see them reverse their fortunes against an in-form Japan.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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