Upsets of Norway and Brazil have the bottom half of the Women’s World Cup bracket wide open. Will reigning champs Japan take advantage, or can the Netherlands make it three upsets in the Round of 16?
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Japan only allowed one goal as it went through group play with a trio of wins, but it wasn’t the calculating force many expected. Perhaps this is the game that sees veteran Homare Sawa break through for a goal.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands is looking to sort out of a star of its own, as 18-year-old Vivianne Miedema looks to make an impact on the world’s biggest stage. For our money, expect Desiree van Lunteren to have a big impact on any potential Dutch upset.
This match-up features a pair of stingy teams, and bettors will be forgiven for taking the under (I haven’t looked it up, but is it 1.5?).
When: Tuesday, 10:00 p.m. EDT
Where: BC Place, Vancouver
TV: NBC Universo, NBCDeportes.com
Team Records: Japan 3-0-0 (Winner, Group C); Netherlands 1-2-0 (Third, Group A)
