Two Asian economic heavyweights, Japan and China, will square up on Thursday at the Saitama Stadium in Saitama for the seventh round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier game.
Venue: Saitama Stadium (Saitama)
Key Statistics
Japan have failed to score in only one of their last five World CUP qualifier (WCQ) games.
They have kept three clean sheets from their last five WCQ games.
Japan have scored just five goals in WCQ games – only Vietnam have scored fewer goals in Group B.
But the hosts have the joint-best defence in their group, having conceded just three goals (level with Saudi Arabia).
China have scored seven times in the qualifier games, conceding eleven goals – only Vietnam have conceded more goals in Group B.
They have won just one of their last six games in all competitions (D2, L3).
Head to head
Both sides have served up some very memorable fixtures. But over the last 14 head-to-head meetings, Japan have dominated, winning nine times and losing just once. The hosts have won each of the last three fixtures.
Latest performances in all competitions
Japan: W-W-W-L-W
China: D-D-L-W–L
Japan
Japan resume their World Cup qualifying campaign against fellow Asian heavyweight China as they do battle on Thursday in the 67,700 capacity Saitama stadium.
The hosts sit in the automatic qualifying spot after six rounds of qualifying games, although with just a solitary point ahead of Australia in fourth place.
They opened up their World Cup qualifying campaign with a loss against Oman and have since then only lost to Saudi Arabia when the two teams locked horns back in October 2021. But since that loss in October, they haven’t looked back, winning three matches on the bounce.
Going into the seventh round of the qualifying games, Japan trail Saudi Arabia by four points and only one point ahead of Australia. A win today will guarantee that they maintain their qualification berth.
Possible Japan starting line-up
Shuichi Gonda; Takehiro Tomiyasu, Sho Sakai, Naomichi Ueda, Yuto Nagatomo; Gaku Shibasaki, Koji Miyoshi, Ao Tanaka; Junya Ito, Yuya Osako, Takumi Minamino.
Injured: Kaoru Mitoma, Kyogo Furuhashi
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
China
China come into this tie on the back of a disappointing form, having won only one game out of the six qualification matches, losing three and drawing two, getting just five points from a possible 18 points.
After a morale-boosting back-to-back draws against Oman and Australia, they have kept their hopes alive.
With Australia sitting six points ahead in the qualification spot and Japan ahead of them with seven points, Li Xiaopeng’s men know they have all to play for, and the need to string together a run of victories have never been more urgent.
With four games left to play, this match must act as a turning point for the Dragons team if they are to reach the World Cup for the first time since 2002.
Possible China starting line-up
Junling Yan; Lipeng Zhang, Chenije Zhu, Tyias Browning, Qiuming Wang; Xin Xu, Lei Wu, Aloisio; Shihao Wei, Alan, Yuning Zhang.
Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Japan 2-1 China
