World Cup Opta Stats: Ivory Coast v Japan

Can Didier Drogba stay on his feet to inspire the Ivory Coast against Japan?

Ivory Coast and Japan make their first appearance of the World Cup in the early hours of Sunday morning and Opta have the sort of stats to keep you wide awake.

Two of Japan's previous four World Cup wins have come in their only two previous meetings with African sides (2-0 v Tunisia in 2002 and 1-0 v Cameroon in 2010). Japan are 3.052/1 to win.

Despite going out in the "Group of Death" in their only two previous tournaments, Ivory Coast have the best goals/game average of any African side at World Cups (1.5). Over 2.5 goals is 2.466/4.

Didier Drogba has only had two shots on target in 384 minutes at the World Cup, with both ending up in the back of the net. Drogba is 2.8415/8 to score.

Keisuke Honda has been directly involved in three of Japan's last four World Cup strikes (two goals, one assist). Honda is 3.9n/a to find the net.

Shinji Okazaki was the top scorer in the 2014 Asian World Cup qualifiers (8 goals). He is also the last Japanese player to net in the finals (against Denmark on 24 June 2010). Okazaki is 3.412/5 to score.

The Elephants were unbeaten in 2014 World Cup qualification, winning five and drawing three. Ivory Coast are priced at 2.6813/8 to win.

These sides have met three times before, all in friendlies; Japan won the first two 1-0, before Ivory Coast won 2-0 in the most recent meeting in 2010. The draw is available at 3.211/5.

Ivory Coast are appearing in their third successive World Cup; Ghana are the only other current African side who can match this. They are 2.0421/20 to qualify from Group C.