Saturday , 14 November 2026

Belgium vs Japan, Worldcup 2018 ROUND OF 16

FIFA World Cup · 2018
Belgium
3 – 2
Full Time
Japan
Mon 2 Jul 2018 · 18:00 UTC HT 45' · FT 45'
Y 40' Gaku Shibasaki

Overview

Match Preview

Belgium vs Japan — Worldcup .

  • Belgium 3 games · 5 pts (2026/26)
  • Japan 3 games · 5 pts (2026/26)

Match Details

  • Referee Felix Zwayer
  • Referee Clement Turpin
  • Referee Mark Borsch
  • Referee Danny Makkelie
  • Referee Bakary Papa Gassama
  • Referee Jean-Claude Birumushahu
  • Referee Malang Diedhiou
  • Referee Djibril Camara
  • Referee El Hadji Malick Samba
16 games this season 🟨 4.4/game ⚽ 15.4 goals/game 🟥 1 total

Standings

# Team P Pts
1 Mexico 3 9
2 South Africa 3 4
3 South Korea 3 3
4 Czechia 3 1
5 Switzerland 3 7
6 Canada 3 4
7 Bosnia-Herzegovina 3 4
8 Qatar 3 1
9 Brazil 3 7
10 Morocco 3 7
11 Scotland 3 3
12 Haiti 3 0
13 United States 3 6
14 Australia 3 4
15 Paraguay 3 4
16 Turkey 3 3
17 Germany 3 6
18 Ivory Coast 3 6
19 Ecuador 3 4
20 Curacao 3 1
21 Netherlands 3 7
22 Japan 3 5
23 Sweden 3 4
24 Tunisia 3 0
25 Belgium 3 5
26 Egypt 3 5
27 Iran 3 3
28 New Zealand 3 1
29 Spain 3 7
30 Cape Verde Islands 3 3
31 Uruguay 3 2
32 Saudi Arabia 3 2
33 France 3 9
34 Norway 3 6
35 Senegal 3 3
36 Iraq 3 0
37 Argentina 3 9
38 Austria 3 4
39 Algeria 3 4
40 Jordan 3 0
41 Colombia 3 7
42 Portugal 3 5
43 Congo DR 3 4
44 Uzbekistan 3 0
45 England 3 7
46 Croatia 3 6
47 Ghana 3 4
48 Panama 3 0

Head-to-Head

1
Belgium 1 games · Avg 5.0 goals Japan
Last 5 meetings
2018-07-02 Belgium 3–2 Japan

Recent Form

Belgium
DateOpponentH/A ScoreResult
02 Jul Japan H 3–2 W
28 Jun England A 1–0 W
23 Jun Tunisia H 5–2 W
18 Jun Panama H 3–0 W
05 May Croatia H 3–0 W
28 Apr Hungary A 1–0 W
Japan
DateOpponentH/A ScoreResult
02 Jul Belgium A 2–3 L
28 Jun Poland H 0–1 L
24 Jun Senegal H 2–2 D
19 Jun Colombia A 2–1 W
14 May Hertford Town FC H 1–3 L
07 May Dijon Football Cote d'Or A 0–4 L

Season Stats

Belgium Japan
#25 Position #22
5 Points 5
3 Played 3
1 / 2 / 0 W / D / L 1 / 2 / 0
6 Scored 7
2 Conceded 3
+4 GD +4
1.67 PPG 1.67
33% Win % 33%

Key Stats

100% Both Teams to Score
H2H (1 games)
100% Over 2.5 Goals
H2H history
17% Clean Sheets
Belgium this season
25% Clean Sheets
Japan this season

Belgium are 25th (5 pts). Japan are 22nd (5 pts).

Goal Timing (This Season)

Belgium
0-15
1/–
16-30
1/3
31-45
2/1
46-60
2/1
61-75
1/–
76+
6/2
■ Scored ■ Conceded
Japan
0-15
1/–
16-30
1/–
31-45
1/–
46-60
2/2
61-75
1/2
76+
2/1
■ Scored ■ Conceded

Top Scorers (This Season)

Belgium
Romelu Lukaku 3 G 1 A
Charles De Ketelaere 3 G 1 A
Leandro Trossard 2 G 2 A
Youri Tielemans 2 G
Japan
Ayase Ueda 2 G 1 A
Daichi Kamada 2 G

Events

Match Events

  • 0' The game is set. Belgium kicks off things out of here…
  • 5' Spectators do not have much to choose from both teams. The sides had several scoring chances but they still need a bit more than just a sight of a goal.
  • 10' Hotaru Yamaguchi is a natural and has been asked to do a very specific job for Japan tonight.
  • 15' The midfield battle is intense right now. Both Belgium and Japan are fighting for every inch of the pitch.
  • 20' The tempo has dropped considerably in the last few minutes. Akira Nishino will be considering his options from the bench.
  • 25' The energy levels are beginning to show. Roberto Martínez might look to freshen things up shortly.
  • 30' The teams are not in a rush to score plenty of goals. It might look strange considering Japan that had 83 games and scored 26 goals.
  • 35' Belgium seems to be on a short break. The game is mainly concentrated in the center. It’s high time they got back to action. Otherwise, it looks like a goalless game.
  • 40' A meaty challenge results in booking for Gaku Shibasaki on 40.
  • 45' named a earlier, and opted for a in response. A fascinating tactical duel is developing.
  • 48' Genki Haraguchi puts Japan on the lead.
  • 52' What a moment for Takashi Inui! That strike on 52 puts his side firmly in control.
  • 57' Belgium are keeping things exceptionally tight at the back. It will take something special to break them down.
  • 62' Belgium started playing very sharply right from the kick off. However, it slowed down the tempo rapidly by 62.
  • 65' The crowd applauds Dries Mertens as he leaves the pitch. Marouane Fellaini steps in for Belgium.
  • 69' What composure from Jan Vertonghen! The Belgium international strokes it home. 1-2.
  • 74' GOAL! Marouane Fellaini fires home to make it 2-2!
  • 79' A tactical chess match is unfolding here. The question is which manager blinks first.
  • 81' Japan manager makes another effort to make the tables turned. Hotaru Yamaguchi is hanging Gaku Shibasaki on the field on 81 minute.
  • 86' Belgium are enjoying more possession but struggling to find a way through a disciplined Japan backline.
  • 90' GOAL! Nacer Chadli fires home to make it 3-2!
  • Time to leave. No sensation happened. Another win for Belgium players.

Lineups

Belgium Lineups

Starting XI

Bench

Coach Roberto Martínez

Japan Lineups

Starting XI

Bench

Coach Akira Nishino

Predictions

Prediction accuracy
3 / 4
2.35 Belgium xG
Expected Goals
Dixon-Coles · Bivariate Poisson · Neg. Binomial · Elo
1.34 Japan xG
I would bet for: Over 2.5 goals 70% + Both teams to score 66%

Match Result

✓ Correct
Belgium61% Draw21% Japan18%
Actual: Belgium win

Both Teams to Score

✓ Correct
Yes66% 0% No34%
Avg goals/match: 3.69
Actual: Yes — both scored

Over / Under Goals

✓ O/U 2.5
Line Over Under
± 0.5 96%
4%
± 1.5 88%
12%
± 2.5 70%
30%
± 3.5 50%
50%
± 4.5 31%
69%

Double Chance

Belgium or Draw
81%
Draw or Japan
39%
Belgium or Japan
79%

Half-Time Result

✗ Wrong
Belgium44% Draw38% Japan18%
Actual: Draw at HT

Correct Score

✓ In top 12
2 – 1
9%
1 – 1
8.7%
2 – 0
7%
3 – 1
6.9%
2 – 2
5.9%
1 – 0
5.5%
3 – 0
5.3%
1 – 2
5.1%
3 – 2
Actual
4 – 1
4.1%
0 – 0
3.7%
4 – 0
3.1%

Asian Handicap — Belgium

Handicap Belgium covers Push Japan covers
-2.5 21% — 79%
-2 21% 17% 62%
-1.5 38% — 62%
-1 38% 21% 41%
-0.5 59% — 41%
+0.5 80% — 20%
+1 80% 12% 9%
+1.5 91% — 9%
+2 91% 6% 3%
+2.5 97% — 3%

Clean Sheet

Belgium keeps clean sheet
27% ✓
Japan keeps clean sheet
10% ✓

Predictions are statistical estimates based on season form, H2H history, and a Poisson model. Not financial advice.