Japan stunned everyone by defeating Spain in their last group stage and confirm their spot to face Croatia in the knockout for FIFA World Cup 2022. Japan vs Croatia is scheduled to take place on 5th December at Al Janoub Stadium, Qatar.
Croatia are coming to play after witnessing a draw against Belgium in their last group-stage game. Both sides carry a good amount of experience in international football.
Japan had a bit of luck working out in their favour at the group stage. After a major win against Germany, Japan faced a loss against Costa Rica and was on the verge of getting eliminated from the tournament.
However, they shocked everyone by defeating the group leaders Spain and the win was much needed to qualify for the next round. The win against Spain wasn’t easy and now the Samurai Blue will be motivated for their future aspects in FIFA World Cup 2022.
Croatia is a well-balanced and experienced side under the leadership of Luka Modric. They had one win during the group stage and two draws against Belgium and Morocco. All thanks to Lukaku missing out a penalty, Croatia qualified for the knockout stage and now things will get more tough for the team.
Japan Team News
Japan are a team with a good equation among all the players. They have a balanced defence, aggressive offence, excellent counter-attacks and very good transition. The team is trained to shift sides easily and can change their gameplay without any issues.
The Samurai Blue conceded two goals in the group stage and scored four goals overall. The game against Croatia won’t be easy to win but the attackers are capable to surprise everyone with their ability to play a fast-paced game.
Croatia Team News
Croatia carry a good experience with the world cup and their leader is a well-known name in club football. The Vatreni ended up their group run at the second spot with two draws and a win.
Their defence looks strong as they have just conceded one goal at the group stage but as they come to play against Japan, Croatia will have to work hard with their attack.
Japan vs Croatia Prediction
Considering the experience of both teams, Croatia looks like a much more solid team against Japan. This is the first time Japan has reached the knockout stage but Croatia has a good reputation and experienced players. We predict that Croatia will win the fixture by 1-2.
Betting Tips
Our expert analysis says that Croatia will knock out Japan by a 1-2 final score. For some great odds create an account at bet365.
