The World Cup round of 16 rolls on as a surprise Asian representative takes on one of Europe’s steadiest hands. One team shocked the world to finish top of Group E while their opponents outlasted Belgium to grab the runner-up spot in Group F.
Japan vs Croatia Predictions and Best Odds for Round of 16 Match
Japan Run of Form
Japan have been on a miraculous run in this World Cup so far. They won Group E by pulling off two upset wins, first over Germany and then Spain in the final group stage game. They’ve looked good all year after securing qualification, making a deep run in the Kirin Cup, and winning the East Asian Cup.
Read More: Spain Bomb Out? – World Cup Predictions for the Round of 16
There are few teams in the tournament with more momentum than this Japanese side. Can they keep it up in the knockout stage?
Croatia Run of Form
Despite scraping through their group, Croatia are a difficult team to beat. They have only lost one competitive game all year and made it through the group stage with only one goal conceded.
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While they may look unimpressive at first glance, a deeper look at their recent form shows that this is one team not to overlook.
Head to Head
These two nations have only played three times in history. The records are completely even with one win apiece and a draw in that time. In fact, their last two matches have come in the World Cup with The Vatreni winning the first, and the latter ending in a scoreless draw.
Japan vs Croatia Prediction
The Samurai Blue will probably see their run come to an end at the hands of their European opposition. Zlatko Dalic’s team are hard to break down and possesses some of the most talented playmakers in the entire competition. That should be enough to make the most of their opposition’s weakness.
Current Betting Odds: Japan vs Croatia
Croatia come into this one as the favourite with SkyBet with odds of 21/20 of winning. Hajime Moriyasu’s team are trailing behind at 14/5 as the clear underdog.
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