Zambia vs Japan
Women’s World Cup
Group C
Saturday
22nd July 2023
FMG Stadium
Preview, analysis and predictions for the Group C Women’s World Cup fixture between Zambia and Japan.
Zambia form analysis
Zambia’s form in the last two years has shown some positive performances and notable achievements. They had a successful run in the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championship, winning their group matches against Namibia, Lesotho, and Eswatini. They continued their form by defeating Tanzania in the semifinals and clinching the championship by defeating South Africa 1-0 in the final. This success in the COSAFA tournament demonstrates their ability to compete and secure victories against teams within their region.
In the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AFCON), Zambia had a commendable performance, securing a 1-0 victory against Nigeria in the third-place play-off. This result indicates their competitiveness against strong African opponents.
In friendly matches, Zambia faced challenges against higher-ranked teams. They suffered defeats against Netherlands and Colombia, both with 1-0 scorelines, highlighting difficulties in generating offense and securing positive results against stronger opponents.
In the 2023 Turkish Women’s Cup, Zambia experienced mixed results. They suffered a 1-0 loss to Slovenia but responded with a 4-0 victory over Uzbekistan. The cancellation of the match against Venezuela prevented further assessment of their performance in the tournament.
In other friendly matches, Zambia faced mixed results. They suffered defeats against South Korea with scores of 5-2 and 5-0. However, they managed to secure a 1-0 victory against Tanzania and displayed competitiveness in a narrow 3-2 loss against the Republic of Ireland and a 3-3 draw against Switzerland. Notably, Zambia achieved an impressive 3-2 victory over Germany, showcasing their ability to compete against higher-ranked teams.
Japan form analysis
Japan’s form in the last two years has shown a mixture of positive results and some challenges. They began with a strong performance in the EAFF E-1 Football Championship, securing victories against South Korea (2-1) and Chinese Taipei (4-1) while playing to a goalless draw against China.
In friendly matches, Japan showcased their capabilities by defeating Nigeria 2-0 and New Zealand 2-0. However, they faced difficulties against strong opponents such as England, where they suffered a 4-0 defeat, and Spain, where they lost 1-0.
In the SheBelieves Cup, Japan had a challenging run, losing all three matches. They were defeated 1-0 by Brazil, 1-0 by the United States, and secured a 3-0 victory against Canada. These results indicate some difficulties in generating consistent offensive output against top-ranked teams.
In international friendlies, Japan displayed resilience by securing a 2-1 victory against Portugal and a 1-0 win against Denmark. These results highlight their ability to compete against European opponents.
In the MS & AD Cup, Japan demonstrated dominance with a 5-0 victory over Panama, indicating their strength against lower-ranked teams.
Zambia vs Japan: Predictions
Zambia’s performances outside the COSAFA Women’s Championship have been dreadful. Japan on the other hand has done well against most opponents and held their own in difficult games. Hence, expect a convincing win for Nadeshiko.
Zambia’s defense has not been their strength. Japan on the other hand has impressed while going forward. So a high scoring game is on the cards.
Zambia vs Japan: Odds
Asian handicap: -1.50 Zambia @ 1.78 odds.
Over 3.5 goals @ 1.80 odds.
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