Canada vs. Japan Prediction: Tokyo Olympics Women’s Soccer Odds

The Canadian Women’s Soccer team will face Japan, Chile and Great Britain in the group phase of the women’s tournament this month in Tokyo. Twelve countries are represented in this tournament, with the top eight advancing to a quarterfinal round, with the winners of those matches advancing to the semifinals and final.

Canada will kick off their tournament on the 21s of July at 6.30 ET/3.30 PT.  The Canadian team is ranked 8th in the world and are facing Japan, the 10th ranked team.

Canada vs. Japan Betting Odds

Since 1995, Canada and Japan have met fourteen times in international play, with Wednesday’s Olympic kickoff game being their fifteenth meeting. In their last two, Canada won once at the Algarve Cup in 2018, and Japan was the winner in the same tournament the following year.

More recently, both teams qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019 – each country getting as far as the Round of 16. Japan won the World Cup in 2011 and earned silver medals at the 2012 Olympics and at the Women’s World Cup in 2015.

Canada has won bronze medals at the last two Olympics, in 2012 and 2016, and they’ve won the Concacaf Championship twice, in 1998 and 2010. The Canadian Women’s team has been to the last seven FIFA Women’s World Cups and the last three Women’s Olympic soccer tournaments.

Team Canada

Captain Christine Sinclair will play her 300th senior international game at these Tokyo games, which are the fourth Olympics she’s attended in her illustrious career. British Columbia-born Sinclair holds the record of 186 career goals, a number she’ll likely add to in Tokyo.

Fifteen of the 22 Team Canada players have played in 50-plus games. Nine members of the team play in the National Women’s Soccer League, another nine play in Europe, and four are current NCAA players.

In goal for the Canadians is a trio of skilled netminders, led by 34-year-old Stephanie Labbe, who has 78 caps, and 38-year-old Erin McLeod, who has 118 caps. Most consider the future of the Canadian team’s goalkeeping to be 25-year-old Kailen Sheridan, who despite playing in just 11 international games, was a NWSL finalist in 2019 for keeper of the year.

Team Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Stephanie Labbé, Kailen Sheridan and Erin McLeod.

Defenders: Kadeisha Buchanan, Vanessa Gilles, Shelina Zadorsky, Allysha Chapman, Ashley Lawrence, Jayde Riviere and Gabrielle Carle.

Midfielders: Jessie Fleming, Julia Grosso, Quinn, Desiree Scott and Sophie Schmidt.

Forwards: Janine Beckie, Adriana Leon, Nichelle Prince, Deanne Rose, Christine Sinclair, Evelyne Viens and Jordyn Huitema.

Team Japan

Japan made their biggest mark on women’s soccer in 2011 when they toppled the mighty United States to win the World Cup. The Americans followed up that loss with a win in the very next World Cup tournament.

Naturally, there will be added pressure for the Japanese team to win big at home, and their dynamic lineup will give them a real chance to do just that. Captain Mana Iwabuchi, who plays for Arsenal, is a capable striker and leader. Iwabuchi’s 54th-minute penalty gave her team a 1-0 win over Australia in a warm-up game last week.

The Japanese national team goes by the nickname “Nadeshiko” which is a pink flower found in Japan.

Canada vs. Japan Score Prediction

Canada 1, Japan 2