It's a showdown of title hopefuls on Monday when Japan and Spain square off for the top spot in Group C at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. Both teams blitzed Zambia and Costa Rica in their first two games to clinch spots in the knockout stage. The Group C winner gets the Group A runner-up, and the loser faces the second-place side. Both teams reached the Round of 16 at the 2019 Women's World Cup, with Spain losing 2-1 to the USWNT and Japan falling by the same score to the Netherlands. The Spaniards are ranked sixth in the world, while Japan are 11th in FIFA's rankings.
Monday's match at Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand is set to kick off at 3 a.m. ET. Spain are -118 favorites (risk $118 to win $100) in Caesars Sportsbook's latest Japan vs. Spain odds. Japan are +340 underdogs, a draw is +225 and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you make any Spain vs. Japan picks or FIFA Women's World Cup bets, you need to see what proven SportsLine soccer expert Brandt Sutton has to say.
Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine's top soccer editor for nearly five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most-informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
He finished 2022 as SportsLine's top soccer expert with a 165-130-2 mark, returning nearly $2,200 for $100 players. He also entered the World Cup on an 11-6 roll on all soccer picks, returning +332 during that span.
Now, Sutton has broken down Spain vs. Japan from every angle and just revealed his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Sutton's picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Japan vs. Spain:
- Japan vs. Spain spread: Spain -0.5 (-115)
- Japan vs. Spain over/under: 2.5 goals
- Japan vs. Spain money line: Japan +340, Spain -118, Draw +225
- Japan: They have outscored opponents 40-12 since the start of 2022 (10-2-5).
- Spain: They have a 42-4 goal advantage over their past 12 matches (11-0-1).
- Japan vs. Spain picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Spain
La Roja are making just their third Women's World Cup appearance, but they have been building quickly in recent years. Now they are one of the world's best teams, with a mix of veterans and talented young stars. Playmaker Alexia Putellas is the key to the attack and is the nation's all-time leader in appearances with 104. She has 28 goals in that span and also has contributed to dozens of others. Jennifer Hermoso is the all-time top scorer and has scored in half her matches (50 in 100).
Hermoso scored twice as La Roja roughed up Zambia 5-0 on Wednesday, and Alba Redondo also had a brace. They are two of just six players in the Spanish side who play for teams other than Barcelona or Real Madrid. That familiarity and big-game experience is massive in international play. Putellas and Aitana Bonmati in midfield and veteran defender Irene Paredes all play for Barca, as does Salma Paralluelo, who is emerging as a star in the national team's attack. The 19-year-old has six goals in nine matches, while La Roja have racked up 68 shots, putting 25 on net, in their two games. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back Japan
Japan have been nearly as dominant as Spain so far in this tournament, outscoring Zambia and Costa Rica by a combined 7-0. They put 11 of 25 shots on net in the opener against Zambia, a 5-0 victory, and didn't allow an attempt. Then the Nadeshiko cruised to a 2-0 victory against Costa Rica, putting half of their attempts on target (12 of 24). Costa Rica goalkeeper Daniela Solera kept it from getting out of hand. Aoba Fujino, 19, is emerging as one of the team's stars, and she scored one of the goals Wednesday against Costa Rica. Hinata Miyazawa scored twice in the opening match.
Mina Tanaka is the team's top scorer, and she got her 25th international goal in the opening rout of Zambia. The 29-year-old is a physical player who could give Spain's back line trouble. The Spaniards are the higher-ranked team but don't have nearly the World Cup pedigree of Japan. The Nadeshiko won the World Cup in 2011 and were runners-up to the USWNT in 2015. They have qualified for every Women's World Cup and now have clinched a fourth straight trip to the knockout stage. See which team to pick here.
How to make picks for Japan vs. Spain
Sutton has broken down the FIFA Women's World Cup group-stage match from every angle and is leaning Over on the goal total. He has locked in a confident best bet while also offering a full breakdown of this matchup. You can only see his FIFA Women's World Cup picks and analysis at SportsLine.
So where does all the betting value lie for Japan vs. Spain, and what wager does Sutton like? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bet for Spain vs. Japan, all from SportsLine's No. 1 soccer expert in 2022, and find out.
