Following a forgettable 2018 World Cup in which Germany shockingly didn’t make it out of the Group Stage, they’ll look to start their 2022 journey with a victory over Group E opponent Japan. This match will be played at 8 a.m. ET on Nov. 24 at Khalifa International Stadium.
Germany qualified as UEFA Group J winners, becoming the first country to qualify (aside from the host country of Qatar). Japan qualified as the AFC third-round Group B runners-up, becoming the fifth team to qualify from the AFC.
For the second consecutive World Cup, Germany has to make it out of the “Group of Death" that includes Spain and Costa Rica.
Germany vs Japan Odds
- 3-way handicap: Germany (-250) | Draw (+370) | Japan (+700)
- Draw No Bet: Germany (-750) | Japan (+475)
- Over/Under Goals: Over 2.5 (-145) | Under 2.5 (+115)
- Both Teams to Score: Yes (-105) | No (-125)
Germany vs Japan odds are current as of Friday, Sept. 30, at 2 p.m. ET on Caesars Sportsbook.
Heavily favored in this match, Germany has the sixth-best odds to win the 2022 World Cup at (+1000), while Japan is near the bottom at (+25000) to win. Given how both sides have played recently in international play, taking both sides to score would be a smart bet to make.
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Germany vs Japan Prediction
Germany 3:2 Japan
Since taking over in 2021, manager Hansi Flick has done a good job at the helm going 13 straight matches before taking a loss. However, they haven’t done anything special, as they have more draws (five) than wins (two) in 2022 and failed to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Finals.
Germany likes to run two lineups - a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-2-1, with Flick favoring the former. The one constant in both is the striker position, taken up by Timo Werner or Kai Havertz. If Werner is in, there’s a shot of Havertz playing alongside him in the lineup. If Havertz is at the nine spot, Werner is coming off the bench.
Even against top nations like Italy and Netherlands, Germany is an overpowering force, controlling the possession throughout the match.
Manager Hajime Moriyasu has done an excellent job at keeping opponents on their toes, as Japan has run four different lineups in the last year - a 4-2-3-1, a 4-3-3, a 4-4-2, and a 4-1-4-1. Japan is also coming off winning the 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship, giving them some momentum heading into the World Cup.
Japan’s experience comes from their defense, starting with captain Maya Yoshida, who has 121 caps, followed by Yuto Nagatomo, who leads the team with 137 caps. Eiji Kawashima, who has 95 caps, is the favorite to take charge in net.
Both teams will be fighting tooth and nail to walk away with some points, given the group circumstances. Germany is the better team with a more talented attack, but Japan will give them some trouble in the opening match.
Germany vs Japan Betting Tips
Both countries have one more friendly before beginning their World Cup journey, but Japan has had five more matches in 2022 than Germany. In that span, Japan went 8-3-2 while Germany went 2-5-1.
Germany vs Japan Best Bets
Over 2.5 Goals (-145) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 2 Units
This should be a high-scoring match, as Japan has scored two-plus goals in eight matches this year, while Germany is coming off a 3-3 draw against England in which all six goals were scored in the second half.
Germany has plenty of scoring options to choose from in Werner, Havertz, Thomas Müller, and İlkay Gündoğan, while Japan has opened up the scoring floodgates recently, netting 11 goals in their last five matches.
Might even sprinkle some money on Over 3.5 goals for plus-odds.
- Learn more about betting on the World Cup
Both Teams to Score: Yes (-105) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 2 Units
This will be an easy bet to cash, as both teams have little issues with scoring. Germany has been held scoreless once in the last 12 matches, while Japan was held without a goal four times in that same span.
Both Germany and Japan have picked up the scoring as of late and will carry that over into the World Cup, as they’ll need all the goals they can get if they want to make it out of the Group Stage.
