Japan vs Côte d’Ivoire 13/10/20

13 October 2020

Stadion Galgenwaard is the venue as Japan and Côte d’Ivoire go head-to-head in an international friendly clash.

A goalless draw with Cameroon last time out now means Japan have failed to get on the scoresheet twice in a row, with both games featuring under 1.5 total goals (D1, L1). However, before that, Hajime Moriyasu’s men had been on a pretty much free-scoring run, finding the back of the net in ten consecutive matches while bagging over 1.5 goals on eight of those occasions. Although the ‘Samurai Blue’ have endured mixed fortunes from their only previous four H2H meetings with Ivory Coast (W2, L2), their overall record against the African opposition stands at W20, D7, L8. Furthermore, they boast an intimidating +21 goal differential from such contests (GF:56, GA:35).

Meanwhile, a late equalizer versus Belgium did bring Ivory Coast’s winless streak to two games (D1, L1), both of which saw all the goals on the day come inside one of the halves. But, a genuine lack of firepower in the final third has seen ‘Les Éléphants’ score under 1.5 goals in all but one of their previous seven outings (W3, D2, L2). It’s also worth noting that two of their last three goals scored arrived from the spot-kick. Away from home, Patrice Beaumelle’s players have failed to pick up a win in three consecutive fixtures (D1, L2), conceding precisely twice per match in two.