World Cup Bet Builder tips
Thursday 7pm: Japan v Spain
Spain -1
Both Teams to Score? No
Pedri to Score or Assist
Thursday 7pm: Costa Rica v Germany
Germany -2
Both Teams to Score? No
Ilkay Gundogan to Score or Assist
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Japan v Spain tips
TV: ITV 1
Spain -1
Japan and Spain have only met once in the past, 21 years ago, and it ended in a 1-0 victory for the Spanish. The Japanese will point out they won a match at the Olympics in 2012, but does that really count?
Whether it does or doesn’t is irrelevant here. It’s going to be a very tall order for Japan to take anything from this match. Since November last year, Spain have played 13 matches, winning nine times and only losing once. They’ve also racked up 14 wins and two draws from their 16 games against nations from the Asian Football Confederation over the years.
Add in that they’ve averaged 73 per cent possession at the 2022 World Cup and Japan aren’t going to have the ball long enough to inflict too much damage. Spain can win by at least two to overcome the handicap.
Both Teams to Score? No
It will be a lot easier for them to do that if they keep a clean sheet. While Jordan scored against Spain in a recent friendly, and South Korea have found the net in four of their six matches with them, teams from Asia have not troubled the score sheet too often against the Spanish.
As Japan created very little and failed to score against Costa Rica, they’ll struggle here. Germany let them back in after going ahead but it’s hard to see Spain doing the same. They’ll win without conceding.
Pedri to Score or Assist
Pedri might not have had a shot at the World Cup but he is Barcelona’s joint-third top scorer in La Liga this season. True, he only has three goals, but he’s not averse to scoring from time to time.
It’s more likely he’ll set one up. After the first two rounds of matches, only Antoine Griezmann and Mateo Kovacic have generated more expected assists than the 20-year-old. Pedri looks a good bet to score or assist against Japan.
READ MORE ON QATAR 2022: World Cup TV schedule | World Cup live stream free | World Cup top scorers | World Cup results
Costa Rica v Germany tips
TV: ITV 4
Germany -2
Japan shocked Germany in match one, only to be stunned by Costa Rica in the following game. Can Hansi Flick’s side complete the chain with a win over the Central Americans?
Germany opened their 2006 World Cup campaign on home soil with a 4-2 win over Costa Rica. It saw two legends score braces, with Miroslav Klose and Paulo Wanchope bagging two goals apiece.
While Flick would probably take a repeat, a bigger win for his side will increase their probability of going through if Japan somehow hold Spain to a draw. Germany had five clear-cut chances in their first game and though they squandered four, a similar total here can carry them to a win by at least three goals.
Both Teams to Score? No
Much like Spain, Germany can be confident of keeping a clean sheet. Costa Rica didn’t have a single shot in their first game and only managed four in their second. It’s a wonder they managed to score at all, to be honest.
If Japan lose as we anticipate, a draw will be enough for the CONCACAF side to qualify for the next round. Their priority will be keeping the match as tight as possible, at least until Germany break the deadlock, so a ‘no’ selection in the Both Teams To Score market makes sense here.
Ilkay Gundogan to Score or Assist
Ilkay Gundogan had a total of six shots in the loss to Japan, scoring from the penalty spot. Despite playing further forward against Spain – in the three rather than the two in Flick’s 4-2-3-1 – he didn’t have any goal attempts in that game.
It’s harder to have shots against stronger teams, funnily enough, but that means he stands a good chance of having a few against Costa Rica. He has set up a goal in the last month too, for Manchester City’s opener in their win over Fulham, so Gundogan looks a decent selection to either score or assist in this match.
World Cup Bet Builder tips:
Japan v Spain
Spain -1
Both Teams to Score? No
Pedri to Score or Assist
Costa Rica v Germany
Germany -2
Both Teams to Score? No
Ilkay Gundogan to Score or Assist
*A Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 18/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
WORLD CUP BETTING TIPS TODAY
- Mark Lawrenson’s World Cup Predictions for Thursday’s matches
- Gnabry key in our 8/1 Costa Rica v Germany Bet Builder tips
- Phil Thompson’s 8/1 Japan v Spain Bet Builder tips
FRIDAY WORLD CUP TIPS
- Check out our 23/1 multi-match Bet Builder tips for the 3pm kick-offs
- Here’s our 3 Brazil v Cameroon betting tips for the 7pm showdown
- A 5/1 shot tops our Serbia v Switzerland tips
- Our multi-match World Cup Bet Builder tips for the 7pms come to 24/1
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