Australia vs. Japan odds, picks, how to watch, live stream: March 24, 2022 AFC World Cup qualifier predictions

After a seven-week break, 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification will resume on Thursday for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Australia will host Japan in a third-round matchup, and the visitors can punch their tickets to the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a victory. Japan (6-0-2) currently sits in second place in the Group B table, while Australia (4-3-1) is three points behind in third. Only the top two teams automatically qualify for Qatar 2022, while the third-place team would have to win a play-off to clinch its spot. You can catch all the action on Paramount+.

Kick-off is set for 5:10 a.m. ET at Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Australians as the +160 favorites (risk $100 to win $160) on the 90-minute money line. The latest Japan vs. Australia odds also have Japan as the +175 underdog, while a draw returns +200. The over-under for total goals is 2.5. Thursday’s match will be streamed live on Paramount+ with their must-have Premium plan.

Paramount+ now has levels of membership so you can watch the hottest soccer matchups worldwide and much more. The Premium Plan is $9.99 per month and you can watch your local CBS live stream, including plenty of sports like Champions League, Italian Serie A, college hoops, and the PGA Tour, with no ads, on demand and the ability to download episodes for offline viewing. Plus, watch the highly-anticipated series Halo, Picard, 1883, and more. Both plans come with a free week to start, so sign up now here.

How to watch Australia vs. Japan

• Japan vs. Australia date: Thursday, March 24
• Japan vs. Australia time: 5:10 a.m. ET
• Japan vs. Australia live stream: Paramount+

AFC World Cup qualifying picks for Australia vs. Japan

Before you tune in to Thursday’s World Cup qualifiers, you need to see the AFC World Cup qualifiers picks from soccer insider Jon Eimer. He is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, Eimer has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more. The Indiana-based handicapper compiled a winning record of 260-133-1 with over 90 units of profit for his community on various platforms over a recent two-month stretch.

For Japan vs. Australia, Eimer is backing Japan draw no bet at -105 odds. Japan has the best defense in Group B, having allowed just three goals over eight matches. The team has posted four straight clean sheets and its dominance on the road stretches back a calendar year. Over that time, Japan has played 13 matches away from home and allowed a total of two goals.

On offense, the Japanese have hit their stride and have scored four goals over their last two games after scoring the same number of goals over their first five games of the third round. They are led by forward Junya Ito, who has scored in four straight World Cup qualifiers and leads all players in scoring in the third round. Ito scored the last time he faced the Australians, and given Japan’s all-time dominance versus Australia, Eimer sees that trend continuing on Thursday.

“Historically, Australia struggles aggressively versus the Japan side,” Eimer told SportsLine. “Japan’s side has not lost a game against Australia in international competition in over 10 years now. Even with the homefield advantage and slight advantage on betting lines, [Australian] manager Graham Arnold has a history of struggles to overcome for his team to grab the important three points here.”

How to watch, live stream World Cup Qualifiers on Paramount+

Now that you know what to pick, get ready to watch the AFC World Cup Qualifiers. Visit Paramount+ now to see the World Cup Qualifiers, your live local CBS sporting events, some of the world’s top soccer matchups and much more.