Tournament: World Cup Qualification AFC
Date & Kick-Off Time: 2024.09.05, 06:35
In the 1st round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers, Japan will host China on September 5, 2024. As one of Asia’s top football teams, Japan enters as the clear favorite, but China will aim to put up a fight and surprise their regional neighbor.
Key Statistics and Trends
- Japan: Has won 4 consecutive matches and 9 consecutive home games.
- China: Has lost only 1 of their last 4 games.
- Head-to-Head: The most common score between Japan and China is a 0-0 draw, occurring 3 times.
- Defensive Form: Japan has not conceded in 4 straight matches.
- Scoring Streak: Japan has scored at least once in their last 23 meetings.
- Conceding Streak: China has conceded in their last 5 matches.
- First-Half Performance: Japan wins the first half in 82% of matches, while China does so in 14%.
Possible Line-Ups
Japan:
- Goalkeeper: Osako
- Defenders: Machida, Itakura, Tomiyasu
- Midfielders: Nakamura, Minamino, Kubo, Endo, Tanaka, Doan
- Forward: Ueda
China:
- Goalkeeper: Wang Dalei
- Defenders: Liu Yang, Zhu Chenjie, Browning, Yang Zexiang
- Midfielders: Xie Wenneng, Wang Shangyuan, Jiang Shenglong, Xu Haoyang
- Forwards: Behram Abduweli, Fernandinho
Team Overview and Form
Japan ("The Samurai Blue"):
Japan has been one of the top teams in Asia for decades, qualifying for every World Cup since 1998 and regularly advancing to the knockout stages. Their recent performance in the 2024 Asian Cup saw them reach the quarter-finals before losing to Iran. In World Cup qualification, Japan dominated the previous round, winning all 6 matches with a total score of 24-0.
China ("The Dragon Team"):
China’s national football team has struggled to reach the same level as Japan, with only one World Cup appearance in 2002, where they lost all matches without scoring a goal. At the 2024 Asian Cup, China failed to score in the group stage, resulting in their elimination. Since Branko Ivankovic took over as head coach, China has had mixed results, earning 5 points in 4 matches and barely securing 2nd place in their group.
Head-to-Head Matches
Japan has dominated head-to-head matches against China, with China’s last and only win dating back to 1980. In their last qualifying round, China managed to hold Japan to a 1-1 draw at home after losing 4 consecutive encounters.
Tactical Analysis and Predictions
- Japan: Playing at home, Japan will likely dominate possession and create numerous goal-scoring opportunities. The combination of Minamino, Kubo, and Doan will be key in breaking down China’s defense.
- China: China will likely adopt a defensive approach, focusing on minimizing Japan’s attacking threat and hoping to capitalize on rare counter-attacks led by Fernandinho and Behram Abduweli.
Betting Prediction
Japan’s superior form, both offensively and defensively, makes them heavy favorites. A Japan win with a -2.0 goal handicap is a solid betting option, with odds of 1.8.
Prediction: Japan to win with a -2.0 goal handicap (odds: 1.8).
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