The defending champions are looking to repeat but a fiesty Australian side stands in their way. Who will advance in this meeting between Asian Federation rivals?
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Japanese are looking to go back-to-back and defend their crown as Women's World Cup champions and are -110 favorites on the betting line to beat the Matildas in regulation.
Australia has shown they are more than ready to meet the challenge though, having already knocked off the Brazilians in the Round of 16 and are just +0.5 (-110) on the Asian Handicap line.
The over/under in this contest has been set at 2.5 goals (under -163).
QUOTE TO NOTE
The players stuck to their tasks well, demonstrating good execution speed and a strong mental attitude. It’s a huge moment for us, but I’m hopeful that we’ll experience even bigger moments in the near future. We want to go as far as possible in this tournament. Thinking about what might happen next is actually very exciting. We’re very happy to have beaten a potential Women’s World Cup winner like Brazil. It was amazing to see how much the team were up for the fight today. I’m extremely proud of them." - Alen Stajcic, Australian coach
RECENT FORM
After never moving past the quarterfinal stage prior to the last Women's World Cup, the Japanese took the world by storm in 2011 en route to a thrilling win over the United States in the final. Japan has won all four of their matches en route to this point of the tournament but haven't exactly played a murderer's row of opponents. The best team the Japanese played in the Group Stage was ranked 19th in the world (Switzerland) and the other two were both ranked outside the Top 40. Still, Japan have taken care of business thus far but will face their toughest test yet against the Aussies.
Australia went 1-1-1 in the Group Stage which isn't an easy accomplishment against teams like the United States, Sweden, and Nigeria. The Aussies showed their metal in the Round of 16 though, surprising many pundits when they knocked off Brazil. However, the Brazilians missed a lot of opportunities and the Matildas capitalized on one of the few they had. If Australia wants to make the semifinals for the first time in their history, they will need to show more life on the attacking end.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Brazilian goalkeeper Luciana will be beside herself for weeks after bungling what should have been an easy grab and giving Aussie Kyah Simon a gift of a goal late in their Round of 16 match. Australia were not the better team for most of the match but they are here now and looking to make the most of this golden opportunity. The Aussies will have to play significantly better to get through at this point though.
Japan play a very open game with fluid passing and runs up and down the pitch. The Japanese constantly badger opponents, particularly along the wings and this should lead to an enjoyable game against Australia. Against the Dutch they controlled the ball for less than half of the game, but still managed to launch 18 shots. Even if they don't light up the scoreboard, the way they play is reminiscent of the Spanish men and is a joy to watch. Expect the Aussies to park the bus in order to bottle up the Japanese but Japan will eventually break through and move on.
The winner of this match will face the winner of England-Canada.
Japan 1, Australia 0
BookMaker has live Women's World Cup odds for every clash of the tournaments. You can find a moneyline price on the Japanese at -110 and a total of 2.5 (under -163) right now! BookMaker is also going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-televised match. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, total and spread. Log in and start gambling during the soccer game now!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The fixture between Australia and Japan will take place at 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 26, 2015 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1.
