Ivory Coast v Japan Predictions & Betting Odds – World Cup 2014

Blue Samauri value to trouble the Elephants

Ivory Coast v Japan
Ivory Coast v Japan

Ivory Coast v Japan World Cup 2014, 14th June Betting Preview

This is the second fixture in Group C at the World Cup, one of the more open looking groups. Everything is up for grabs here and there is a big chance of putting three points on the board for both. Les Elephants head into this one as favourites, but the form of the Blue Samurai is good enough to suggest that they are going to cause the Africans some headaches.

Ivory Coast v Japan Betting Tips

You can look at this one and find some value in Japan. They are unbeaten in their last six matches, winning their last five on the bounce. So pretty solid form there for sure and in that mix of matches there was a draw away against Holland and a 3-2 victory over Belgium. So they have been earning their stripes and could make a good impression here. There is probably enough value in backing them at 1/2 in a Japan – Draw Double Chance for a bit of coverage, because you have to consider that they are still underdogs for the match at 2/1 outright.

Japan have played African opposition at the World Cup twice before and they have won both encounters. The most recent of those was a 1-0 victory over Cameroon at World Cup 2010. Their best options going forward look to be Keisuke Honda, who has been involved in three of Japan’s last four World Cup goals, and Shinji Okazaki, who was top scorer in the 2014 Asian World Cup qualifiers. Both of those can be snapped up at a price of 2/1 in the anytime goalscorer market. Japan to hold a 2-1 lead in the head to head from three previous meetings.

The Ivory Coast have failed to make it out of the group stage in their previous two attempts at the World Cup, but they still have the best goals/game average of any African side at World Cup (1.5 per match). So you would be expecting goals from them, and both teams to score in this one at even money looks pretty good value. Didier Drogba is priced up at 2/1, with Wilfried Bony at 9/4 in the anytime goalscorer market. Neither look to have many clean sheets in them, as the Ivory Coast are without one in their last six matches. Japan have one in their last six.

The Ivory Coast did go through qualification for the World Cup undefeated, but have only posted two wins in their last six matches (W2 D3 L1). The defeat in that sequence came recently against Bosnia & Herzegovina in a friendly. There are problems in their defence which the speed and injury of Japan could exploit. Should be pretty evenly matched.

Ivory Coast v Japan Betting Odds

Ivory Coast 6/4, Japan 2/1, Draw 11/5

Online betting site Bet365 are offering unlimited places on each way first goalscorer bets as well as 0-0 Bore Draw insurance on all World Cup Matches. You can also back a nation in the World Cup outright market in-play at any point of the tournament, and if youe backed selection gets knocked out on penalties, then you will get your lost stake refunded. New customers registering an account with Bet365 can get up to a free £200 bet as a free bet.

Ivory Coast v Japan Predictions

There really doesn’t look to be too much to split the two nations and that means that there is probably value in taking a look at the Blue Samurai in this one in the match outright as they could return, looking full of confidence at the moment. There is a good chance that they will create in getting behind the Ivory Coast’s back line. Good outright value and would expect it to go over 2.5 goals as well, because neither have a strong defence and could be wide open. There is just more momentum running with Japan.