Japan vs Uruguay — Tips & Analysis

Japan -0.25: Uruguay have almost nothing going forward right now, and that is why we are backing Japan. Uruguay scored two goals in total across their last seven away games. They tied five of those seven and won none of them. Japan are the opposite. They have won 6, tied 3 and lost 2 of their last 11 games. They score more than 2 goals a game and let in less than a goal a game. They have not been beaten by 2 or more goals once in those 11. Uruguay also come in without the heart of their team. Federico Valverde is out with an ankle problem, and Manuel Ugarte and Sergio Rochet are missing too. That is a big chunk taken out of a side that already ties everything. Uruguay have tied 7 of their last 14 games, and those games average under 2 goals in total. Expect Japan to have the ball for long spells against a team happy to sit deep and defend. A 1-0 to Japan is the most likely score, probably late on when Uruguay's legs go. That is enough here. The risk is the obvious one. Uruguay are stubborn and very hard to beat. This is also the first of four games in Japan's series, so both coaches will change plenty of players. We still want Japan to find the goal that wins it.