Germany vs Japan Predictions

• Japan scored in all but one of their four games at the last World Cup
• Musiala scored in his last four Bundesliga games for Bayern Munich
• Germany have seen BTTS in six of their last seven competitive games
• Germany won all 10 qualifying games, scoring 36 times

Germany enter new era

Germany face their first tournament game under Hansi Flick when they meet Japan in their World Cup opener. The Germans have made the semi-finals in four of the five editions this century, but they fell short in 2018 before an early exit at Euro 2020.

Flick is out to fix things, but no Germany manager has won his opening tournament in charge since 1980, so history is against them going all the way. However, the former Bayern Munich boss managed to win a treble during his stint in Bavaria so his side should be more competitive than recent German sides.

Can Japan be a threat?

Japan have won only one of their last eight matches at the World Cup, but that didn’t stop them from making the last 16 in Russia. They led for a big chunk of their clash with Belgium, showing they can make a mark on the world stage.

They hit their stride towards the end of qualifying to win six of their final seven games. They head to Qatar looking stronger going forward than they did four years ago, despite scoring in all but one of their four games in Russia.

Musiala stands out

None of Germany’s last 50 matches at the World Cup has ended goalless and this one is unlikely to end that streak. The Germans bring an array of quality attacking options to the tournament, with Jamal Musiala a potential breakout. After a great start to this season, he’s our young player of the tournament selection.

He’s already scored nine Bundesliga goals for Bayern Munich this term and he signed off having struck in four straight league games for his club. He’s an exciting wide forward with an eye for goal and he’s an excellent anytime scorer option in this clash.

Germany to overcome defensive issues

Flick’s side warmed up for their opener with a 1-0 win over Oman, but that game was never likely to test them defensively. However, there are issues with the German backline which could be a problem in Qatar.

Germany failed to keep a clean sheet across any of their six Nations League games, including a 3-3 draw with England in their final match. Only Oman and Israel have failed to breach the German defence across their last 10 games, so Japan should pose a threat.

Japan’s games in Russia all proved to be quite open, with three of the four seeing both teams score. Germany have seen both teams score in six of their last seven competitive games, while their impressive qualifying record of 10 wins and 36 goals suggests they should see off Japan. Back them to claim a 2-1 victory in their opener.

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