Japan face Spain in the quarter-finals on Friday late afternoon as both nations will be aiming to book a spot in the semis.
Japan comfortably topped their group, winning all three matches without conceding – a feat matched only by France. Their 5-0 demolition job over Paraguay set the tone before two narrow 1-0 wins over Mali and Israel followed.
Spain didn’t top their group. Having beaten a stubborn Uzbekistan side 2-1, they managed to beat Dominican Republic 3-1. However, they fell short against Egypt and settled for the second spot in Group C.
Spain sealed their place in the knockout stage after two opening wins against Uzbekistan and Dominican Republic. However, they failed to finish top after losing to Egypt in round three. That result should have woken them up and they should have enough quality to bounce back against Japan.
Although Japan are unbeaten so far, their narrow wins against Israel and Mali left a lot to be desired. They had presented their opponents with plenty of opportunities, and a stronger nation, like Spain, would have punished them.
It will be a tight tussle, but Spain’s star players should shine through and seal a place in the semi-finals.
