Cameroon posted one of the biggest victories of the first round of the World Cup when it blasted Ecuador 6-0.
The fun and games for the African side are over with though, as Japan, one of the favorites of the tournament is up next in what should be the decisive match in Group C.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Cameroon was favored in its first match over Ecuador by a relatively sizeable -180 margin, but no one figured that it was going to end up being a six-goal victor.
Between that win and a less-than-impressive opening match by Japan, we could end up seeing a relatively close margin between these two teams on the betting lines. Still, it's worth remembering that Japan is the defending World Cup champion, and it plays some of the most sound soccer in the world. Anyone who watched that first match knows that the Samurai Blue were much better than that 1-0 final score indicates.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"We scored six goals in our first ever women's World Cup match. It really couldn't have gone any better. We're quite happy, because we've made history today. In our next match against Japan, things will be very different, because they're the best team in the world." – Cameroon manager Enow Ngachu on the challenge ahead against Japan
RECENT FORM
Many weren't sure what to expect out of Cameroon here in the World Cup, knowing that it had never played on this stage before and didn't play against any of the top sides in the world leading up to this competition. However, Les Lions were awesome in their opener against Ecuador, scoring six times without response. Cameroon has become the first African team to win its first match in the World Cup, and it did so in style, though it should be noted that the Ecuadorians played with just ten ladies for the last 35 minutes or so of the match.
Japan has begun its defense of its World Cup title in reasonable form, snaring three points in a 1-0 win over Switzerland. It wasn't the best duel on the face of the earth, but a win is a win. It was the third straight 1-0 win for the Samurai Blue dating back to the middle of May. The Japanese also haven't given up a goal in four consecutive fixtures dating all the way back to a 3-1 loss to the awesome French in the Algarve Cup.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Japan played a fantastic tactical tournament in 2011, and though it wasn't at its best against Switzerland in that first duel, it was good enough to get the job done. That's exactly what we foresee happening here in this match as well.
Yuika Sugasawa was fantastic over the course of the first duel against the Swiss, as was the player of the match, Aya Miyama, the scorer of the goal on a penalty kick.
It would be irresponsible to just assume that Cameroon will be as good in this match as it was against Ecuador. Asking Gaelle Enganamouit to score three times again as she did in the opener would be far too much. In fact, asking any member of the African side to put the ball past Erina Yamane and a Japanese defense which hasn't allowed a goal in almost three months is a tall task as well.
Japan 2, Cameroon 0
The women's World Cup lines for this contest will be first released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, spreads and totals. Live betting is open during every step of this match!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between Japan and Cameroon is scheduled for Friday, June 12, 2015 at 10:00 p.m. ET at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.
