Australia vs Japan FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 Prediction and Analysis

Australia takes on Japan in FIBA Women’s World Cup 2022, and the match is highly important for the Opals. If Australia wins the game against Japan, they will not only qualify for the next phase but also won’t face the heavyweights like China and the USA. Today’s win will guarantee the top spot for the Opals in Group B.

Serbia has made a way for Australia by beating France in a high-intensity match. Today’s win for Australia will see them in the top two of Group B. This means that France will either face USA or China. So, today’s game is a must-win for the Opals and they will use every iota of force in their body to win.

The Looming Injury Scare for the Opals

The Opals need all cylinders firing and they need their ace player Bec Allen to play today. As of now, her presence in the playing 5 isn’t sure due to a suspected injury. She got walled between two Serb players in the previous game and had to leave the court. She also didn’t play the game against Canada where the Opals just edged past.

Player to Watch

In Allen’s absence, the onus lies on the shoulder of Magbegor as she was red hot in the previous game. Her team-high 16 points, seven rebounds, and five blocks made the three-point narrow victory over Canada. So, Australia needs their in-form player to fire again today to take the team to a better position in the quarterfinals.

Brondello, Opals coach, said, “I don’t think Ezi has found her best form, but that was close to it against Canada,” Brondello said.

“We are going to need (more of it) moving forward.

“Ezi is at her best when she is playing great defence. She is changing people’s shots when they come into the paint.

“But also getting out and running and putting her in situations where she can get to the rim, and we needed that.”

Australia vs Japan Prediction and Team Forms

Australia will enter the match with the winning momentum on its side. The Opals are on a winning roll after their first match and only defeat in the tournament so far against France. On the contrary, Japan is really struggling to find winning ways as they could only manage to win against Mali. So, the forms of both teams are poles apart.