Japan produced a spirited fightback against Germany. Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)

World Cup 2022: James the Jellyfish makes BOLD predictions for Belgium & Spain games

World Cup fans are biting their nails. James the Jellyfish is calm though, and making bold calls. Do you agree with the prediction GOAT?

by James Freemantle

01-12-2022 12:00

in Soccer World Cup 2022

Japan produced a spirited fightback against Germany. Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)

The World Cup has been an absolute treat so far, and it’s about to get so much better.

James the Jellyfish, a now infamous score predictor, casts his tentacles over today’s matches to preview the action and make some big calls.

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World Cup: James the Jellyfish predicts the scores on 1 December

Canada 1-2 Morocco
Croatia 2-2 Belgium
Costa Rica 2-2 Germany
Japan 1-2 Spain

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Morocco too savvy for the Canucks

If the North Africans avoid defat they’ll stamp their ticket into the Round of 16. We expect them to do that against a Canada side that has looked defensively porous and naïve Qatar. Both teams have scored in only one of Morocco’s last seven appearances at the World Cup finals and just one of Canada’s five all-time games at the tournament.

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Goals on the menu in sudden death clash

Belgium simply have to win, because they can’t rely on a point as that would only be enough if Morocco took a hiding rom Canada. With that in mind, there’s every reason to expect a wide open, end-to-end affair. Croatia have scored first in four of their last five games against sides currently ranked inside FIFA’s top ten (W3, D1, L1).

Germany will concede against Costa Rica

Since their 1-0 World Cup final win in 2014, Germany haven’t kept a clean sheet in their following five matches in the competition. Costa Rica are very much alive still, and Los Ticos will bring plenty of spirit and verve to this encounter.

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Blue Samurai’s unpredictability is predictable

It’s anybody’s guess what Japan will produce against Spain, but we are expecting a lively encounter. Japan keeper Shūichi Gonda will be looking for his first clean sheet in ten competitive games and a first-ever at the World Cup. That’s unlikely here.

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