Spain vs. Japan start time, odds, lines: Soccer expert reveals Women's World Cup picks, prediction

Both teams are assured a spot in the knockout stage, but Monday's 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup match between Japan and Spain still has a lot of meaning. These are two of the top 11 teams in the world, and both want to finish atop Group C after winning easily in their first two matches. The winner takes on the runner-up of wide-open Group A, while the loser gets that group's second-place side. Spain have a one-goal edge in goal differential and would win the group if this match ends in a draw. Both teams lost in the Round of 16 of the 2019 Women's World Cup by identical 2-1 scores.

Monday's match is set to kick off at 3 a.m. ET from Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand. Caesars Sportsbook lists Spain as -118 favorites (risk $118 to win $100) in Caesars Sportsbook's latest Japan vs. Spain odds. Japan are +325 underdogs, a 90-minute draw is priced at +235 and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before locking in any Spain vs. Japan picks, you need to see what proven SportsLine soccer expert Brandt Sutton has to say.

Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine's top soccer editor for nearly five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most-informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.

He finished 2022 as SportsLine's top soccer expert with a 165-130-2 mark, returning nearly $2,200 for $100 players. He also entered the World Cup on an 11-6 roll on all soccer picks, returning +332 during that span.

Now, Sutton has broken down Spain vs. Japan from every angle and just revealed his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Sutton's picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Japan vs. Spain:

• Japan vs. Spain spread: Spain -0.5 (-125)
• Japan vs. Spain over/under: 2.5 goals
• Japan vs. Spain money line: Japan +325, Spain -118, Draw +235
• Japan: They have outscored opponents 40-12 since the start of 2022 (10-2-5).
• Spain: They have a 42-4 goal advantage over their past 12 matches (11-0-1). 

Featured Game| Japan vs. Spain

Why you should back Spain

La Roja are a rising power in women's soccer and are the +330 second favorite at Caesars to win the tournament, behind the USWNT (+260). The attack runs through playmaker Alexia Putellas, who has won the women's Ballon d'Or in consecutive years. The 29-year-old has appeared in 104 matches for Spain, most all time, and has 28 goals. She has also played a big role in making Jennifer Hermoso the nation's all-time leading scorer with 50 goals in 100 matches. Hermoso and Alba Redondo both scored twice in Spain's 5-0 victory against Zambia on Wednesday.

Putellas missed Euros last year with a torn ACL, so she is seizing her time to shine on the big stage. Her Barcelona teammate, Salma Paralluelo, is just 19 but has six goals in nine appearances for the national team. Spain outshot Costa Rica by a jaw-dropping 46-1 (12-0 on target) and put 13 of their 22 shots on net against Zambia. This is just the third World Cup appearance for Spain, but they reached the quarterfinals at Euro 2022, losing to eventual champion England, 2-1 in extra time. See which team to pick here.

Why you should back Japan

Japan have been nearly as dominant as Spain so far in this tournament, outscoring Zambia and Costa Rica by a combined 7-0. They put 11 of 25 shots on net in the opener against Zambia, a 5-0 victory, and didn't allow an attempt. Then the Nadeshiko cruised to a 2-0 victory against Costa Rica, putting half of their attempts on target (12 of 24). Costa Rica goalkeeper Daniela Solera kept it from getting out of hand. Aoba Fujino, 19, is emerging as one of the team's stars, and she scored one of the goals Wednesday against Costa Rica. Hinata Miyazawa scored twice in the opening match.

Mina Tanaka is the team's top scorer, and she got her 25th international goal in the opening rout of Zambia. The 29-year-old is a physical player who could give Spain's back line trouble. The Spaniards are the higher-ranked team but don't have nearly the World Cup pedigree of Japan. The Nadeshiko won the World Cup in 2011 and were runners-up to the USWNT in 2015. They have qualified for every Women's World Cup and now have clinched a fourth straight trip to the knockout stage. See which team to pick here.

How to make picks for Japan vs. Spain 

Sutton has broken down the FIFA Women's World Cup group-stage match from every angle and is leaning Over on the goal total. He has locked in a confident best bet while also offering a full breakdown of this matchup. You can only see his FIFA Women's World Cup picks and analysis at SportsLine.