These two sides come into this Group E match in very different situations and with very different goals as Japan meet Costa Rica in the second round of the 2022 World Cup group stage.
Japan enter the match on the heels of their upset win over Germany that put them in a great position to qualify for the knockout stage. They will secure their place in the last 16 with a victory, as long as Spain defeat Germany.
Costa Rica, meanwhile, are in a sorry state after being battered by Spain 7-0. Not many expected the CONCACAF nation to produce an upset, but it still felt a harsh result that will be tough to recover from, mentally and mathematically. They only need a draw to officially remain in the hunt for a knockout-stage place, but a win is likely needed to give themselves a realistic chance.
MORE: Follow all 2022 FIFA World Cup daily picks & predictions from The Sporting News here
Japan vs. Costa Rica odds
Japan are big favorites after the previous two results, but that maybe undersells Costa Rica a bit after their brutal loss to Spain.
What's interesting is that while the goals Spain scored seem to be on the minds of viewers, it's Costa Rica's lack of scoring threat that seems to have caught the bookmakers' eyes. The total is about even money, but both teams to score is swayed heavily towards "no."
Odds via BetMGM (USA), Sports Interaction (Canada), SkyBet (UK), and LadBrokes (Australia).
| BetMGM | Sports Interaction | SkyBet | LadBrokes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan win | -225 | 1.41 | 2/5 | 4/9 |
| Draw | +320 | 4.29 | 16/5 | 16/5 |
| Costa Rica win | +675 | 7.19 | 7/1 | 7/1 |
| Both teams to score Y / N | +120 / -165 | 2.14 / 1.56 | 11/10, 4/6 | 23/20, 4/6 |
| Over / Under 2.5 goals | -110 / -130 | 1.99 / 1.75 | 10/11, 4/5 | 10/11, 4/5 |
| Japan -1.5 | +120 | 2.28 | — | — |
| Costa Rica +1.5 | -175 | 1.61 | — | — |
Japan vs. Costa Rica: 3 things to know
Japan vs. Costa Rica team news
Japan have a nearly clean bill of health, an added bonus after their win over Germany did not cost them anything in that department. Yuta Nakayama is the only one who missed out due to injury, not on the roster after being replaced due to an Achilles tear. All their other injury concerns appeared in the first game, and Takuma Asano was even the man to score the winner.
Legendary goalkeeper Keylor Navas was ready to start the opener against Spain, but he looked extremely rusty thanks to a lack of fitness and playing time. There are no other injury concerns for Costa Rica.
MORE: Full injury tracker for all 32 teams at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Japan vs. Costa Rica key stats
- Both previous times Costa Rica lost their first World Cup match (2006, 2018), they went on to lose their next game as well.
- Asian sides in the 2022 World Cup have picked up four wins and a draw, with only hosts Qatar unable to earn a point thus far.
- This is the first competitive meeting between the two sides. Costa Rica have never beaten Japan in four previous meetings, all international friendlies, which ended in three defeats and a draw and saw them outscored 10-2.
Japan vs. Costa Rica match facts
- Date: Monday, November 28
- Kickoff Time: 5:00 am ET / 10:00 am GMT / 9:00 pm AEDT
- Location: Ahmed bin Ali Stadium
- Official: Michael Oliver (England)
Japan vs. Costa Rica prediction
- Moneyline lean: Japan (-225)
- Against the spread lean: Japan -1.5 (+120)
- Score prediction: Japan 2-0 Costa Rica
Form matters a great deal at the World Cup. Japan's upset of Germany was surprising, but fully deserved. Costa Rica, meanwhile, were battered by Spain, and while they're not a 7-0 type squad, they'll be demoralized by that result and intimidated by Japan's big opening win.
Costa Rica won't be as leaky as they were against Spain, but they'll be unable to spring a result against a high-quality Japan side, and probably won't be able to score, either.
MORE: How to watch Japan vs. Costa Rica in World Cup Group E play
Japan vs. Costa Rica: best bet
- Pick: Japan -1.5 goal handicap
- Odds: +120 (BetMGM)
While it's hard to imagine that Costa Rica are really as bad as they looked against Spain, they'll have an equally tough time getting a result against a flying Japan side.
Costa Rica's goose egg against Spain was just the third time this year they've been shut out, with the other two coming against Mexico in World Cup qualifying and Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League. They can score goals, but not many. Japan will be well-drilled and know how to attack this Costa Rica team. They should get enough goals to cover the spread, even if Costa Rica score.
