Japan vs. Poland Betting Odds Preview, World Cup 2018 Prediction, Analysis

Japan will be aiming to finish atop a World Cup group-stage table for the first since 2002, when they achieved the feat as co-host nation, as they take on Poland on Thursday in a Group H matchup at Volgograd Arena.

The Blue Samurai are knotted with Senegal for top spot but hold the edge as favorites on the odds to win Group H, while Poland looks to rebound from a pair of losses that have already ended its hopes of advancing to the knockout stage for the first time since 1986.

World Cup betting line: Poland opened as a -141 favorite (wager $141 to win $100); the total is at 2.5 goals, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)

World Cup betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 2.4-0.5, Japan (2018 World Cup picks on every game)

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Japan vs. Poland World Cup matchup analysis

Pegged as +700 long shots to win Group H prior to the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Japan now enters its final group-stage contest perched as favorites to finish first on the group table.

The Blue Samurai capitalized on a red card from Carlos Sanchez and a subsequent penalty in the first six minutes of their tournament-opening match against Colombia to claim a 2-1 victory over the heavily favored Cafeteros, and showed character in a 2-2 draw with Senegal in their last outing.

Japan is now unbeaten in three overall outings, burying the memory of a worrisome five-match winless streak in pre-tournament matches, but it is without victories in three dates with European opponents.

Poland closes out its Russia 2018 experience on Thursday after getting routed in a 3-0 loss to Colombia as +250 underdogs last weekend. The Eagles had scored nine total goals over their final three pre-tournament contests, but they have been effectively shut down in group-stage action, mustering just six total shots on goal, while star Robert Lewandowski has been held off the scoresheet.

Poland has also been blanked in seven of 10 World Cup matches since 1986 and lost 2-0 to Japan in their lone previous meeting in 2002.

All 2018 World Cup odds and betting trends according to Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app.