Spain play Japan in the World Cup in Al Rayyan, Qatar on Thursday.
When: Thursday, Dec. 1, 2100 local
Where: Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan
Capacity: 45,857
Odds:
Spain win: 2/5
Japan win: 15/2
Draw: 17/5
Key stats:
* Spain won the World Cup in 2010 – their only success to date – while Japan have never progressed beyond the first knockout round, which they have reached three times.
* Spain will advance into the next round with a draw and a win would seal top spot in Group E. Japan, who sit second, risk losing out on a place in the knockout rounds to Germany or possibly Costa Rica, unless they beat Spain.
* Spain are the top scorers so far at the 2022 World Cup with eight goals – seven of them coming in their opening match against Costa Rica.
* Japan’s Eiji Kawashima and Yuto Nagatomo are both appearing at their fourth World Cup. Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi and Seigo Narazaki were the only two Japanese players who had previously appeared at four.
Previous meetings:
* The teams have met only once before in a friendly in 2001 won by Spain 1-0.
