Women’s World Cup 2023: Japan vs Zambia Prediction, Preview, Live Stream, Odds and Picks
Despite winning the title in 2011 and finishing second in 2015, Japan isn’t among the soccer betting favorites to win gold at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. While they’re +8000, England, the team that finished fourth in 2019, is +800.
That being said, Japan is eager to prove everybody wrong, starting by beating Zambia in their Group C debut. As expected, the Asian side is heavily favored in the odds board, especially since this is the first time that Zambia plays in the tournament.
Japan: Well-Balanced Squad
Japan is an experienced team that already conquered the promised land. However, they failed to meet expectations in the 2019 edition, winning only one game and losing to the Netherlands 2-1 in the Round of 16.
We’re also talking about a rejuvenated team since Saki Kumagai is the sole survivor of the 2011 winning squad. The good news is that Japan has become a well-balanced squad, as it was proven during the qualifiers.
The team coached by Futoshi Ikeda, who used to play as a defender, finished the qualifiers undefeated. They finished the Group Stage 2-1-0, with nine goals for and only one against. In the knockout stages, they defeated Thailand 7-0 and drew 2-2 to China. The Chinese advanced to the Grand Finale after winning the penalty shoot-out.
Besides Kumagai, make sure to keep an eye on Maika Hamano, who won the Golden Ball in the 2022 U20 Women’s World Cup. That’s an award that several superstars such as Marta, Christine Sinclair, Alex Popp and Asisat Oshoala also won. Hamano currently plays for Hammarby IF on loan from Chelsea.
Japan is offering a -430 price on the soccer lines to win straight up. Not bad for a team that did well in its last five matches, defeating Panama (5-0), Portugal (2-1) and Canada (3-0). They also put up a good fight against USA and Denmark but ended up losing 1-0.
Zambia: Not Afraid
Yes, Zambia is one of the eight nations that will make their debut in a World Cup, but the Copper Queens aren’t afraid.
During the 2022 African Cup of Nations, which served as the 2023 World Cup qualifiers, they won Group B with a 2-1-0 record, five goals for and only one against. Later, they defeated Senegal in penalties and lost 1-0 to South Africa in the Semifinals.
Most recently, they pulled off a stunner against Germany in a friendly match, defeating the 2011 World Cup winners 3-2. They also managed to draw 3-3 to Switzerland and 0-0 to the Republic of Ireland. They’re a bold, young team, also known as the Giant-killers.
Even so, they come in as the betting online underdogs at +800.
Individually, keep an eye on Barbra Banda, a striker named captain despite only being 23 years old. Banda surprised everybody during the 2021 Olympic Games, in which she scored two hat-tricks. She’s the only player in history to score back-to-back trebles at the Olympics.
Japan vs Zambia Match Information
- Match: Japan vs Zambia
- Day/Time: Saturday, July 22, 3 a.m. ET
- Location: Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand
- Japan vs Zambia Live Stream: fubo.tv
Japan vs Zambia Betting Lines
Japan vs Zambia Picks and Prediction
These two have never met, but you can expect goals.
Besides Hamano, Japan’s squad includes Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City) and Fuka Nagano (Liverpool).
On the other hand, besides Banda, Zambia’s squad includes Rachael Kundananji (Real Madrid,) who scored 25 goals in the 2022-23 season. Summing up, you should include the over in your soccer picks.
Keep in mind that 11 of the 17 teams that have made their World Cup debut this century failed to win a match at their debut tournaments. I’m not saying Zambia will end up being easy prey, but the pressure is something that should be considered.
Japan are listed at -430 in our Vegas Women’s World Cup 2023 lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Japan, you have a chance to win $23. Zambia are +800, offering a chance to win $800 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Japan an 81.13% chance to win, with Zambia at 11.11%.
If you like to bet on soccer tournaments we have this betting lines for the Asian Cup, place your bets and win.
