The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup continues with a jam-packed schedule on Wednesday. In the first game of the day, Japan faces Costa Rica in a matchup between Group C foes. Costa Rica is aiming for its first win of the tournament after an opening loss to Spain. Meanwhile, Japan looks to ride the wave after a dominant 5-0 victory over Zambia.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 a.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Japan as the -2500 favorites (risk $2,500 to win $100) in its latest Japan vs. Costa Rica odds. Costa Rica are the +2900 underdogs, a draw is priced at +1100, and the over/under for total goals scored is 3.5. Before locking in any Costa Rica vs. Japan picks, make sure you check out the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup predictions from proven SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since last year's World Cup, Green has been profitable in multiple areas on his soccer picks, including the Champions League (+3.45 units), FA Cup (+3.07) and EFL Cup (+3.64).
Now, Green has broken down the Japan vs. Costa Rica matchup from every angle and just locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Costa Rica vs. Japan:
- Japan vs. Costa Rica money line: Japan -2400, Draw +1100, Costa Rica +2900
- Japan vs. Costa Rica spread: Japan -2.5 (-145)
- Japan vs. Costa Rica over/under: 3.5 goals
- JAP: Three clean sheets in a row across all competitions
- CRC: Winless across all competitions since July 8, 2022
- Japan vs. Costa Rica picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Japan
As evidenced by the lopsided betting odds, this is a favorable matchup for Japan. Japan won the only previous head-to-head match between the sides by a 3-0 margin, and Costa Rica has only four wins over the last 21 international games. Costa Rica was pounded by Spain in the opener, garnering only 19% possession in that game. Costa Rica gave up three goals in the first 27 minutes before Spain let up, but Spain had 46 shots in the game and generally dominated the action.
Costa Rica is generally inexperienced by World Cup standards, while Japan has an established pedigree of success. Japan is also deep and talented at every level, with an elite defense and enough creativity to keep the pressure on Costa Rica for the entire match. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back Costa Rica
Costa Rica are seen as substantial underdogs in this match, but the team has real strengths. The headliner is Raquel Rodriguez, who stars for the Portland Thorns of the NWSL. Rodriguez is the all-time leading scorer for Costa Rica with 55 international goals in 100 caps, and she is a threat to score at any moment. Rodriguez is joined by vice-captain Katherine Alvarado, who has 125 caps and tremendous World Cup experience.
She also scored twice during Costa Rica's qualifying run through the 2022 Concacaf Championship. In addition, Priscila Chincilla of Glasgow City has 20 goals for Costa Rica in international competition and, at the age of 21, she is a rising star. Japan have lost five of the last eight games overall, and Costa Rica will be leaving it all on the line in a game they must win to remain alive in the group. See which team to pick here.
How to make Costa Rica vs. Japan picks
Green has broken down the Japan vs. Costa Rica match from every angle. He is leaning Under on the goal total and has locked in a pair of best bets. He's only sharing his picks at SportsLine.
Who wins Japan vs. Costa Rica, and where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Costa Rica vs. Japan, all from the soccer expert who has been profitable in multiple areas, and find out.
