Japan will travel to Muscat this Wednesday to face Oman in the sixth round of their 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Venue: Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex (Muscat)
Key Statistics
Oman are without a clean sheet in their last five games.
They are currently sitting fourth in Group B.
They have scored six times but have also conceded six times in this qualifying campaign.
Japan have scored just four goals in this WCQ campaign, conceding three times.
They are also unbeaten in this WCQ campaign.
Head to head
This will be the 14th meeting between the two sides. Japan have nine wins in those games while Oman were victorious on one occasion (D2).
Latest Performances in all competitions
Oman: D-W-L-W-L
Japan: W-W-L-W-L
Oman
Oman will look to continue their bid for a place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup when they welcome Japan to Muscat.
The Asian side are fighting to play World Cup for the first time in history and have begun their quest to play in the showpiece tournament impressively, having picked up seven points in five games.
They were made to work for a point in their last game against China, with a 75th-minute strike from full-back Amjad Al Harthi enough to secure a 1-1 draw for the Reds.
They are currently occupying the fourth spot on the table two points behind Japan who they narrowly beat in their opening game of the WCQs.
Possible Oman starting line-ups
Faiz Al-Rushaidi (GK); Juma Al Habsi, Fahmi Durbin, Juma Al-Habsi, Ali Al-Busaidi; Salaah Al Yahyaei, Jameel Al-Yahmadi, Harib Al-Saadi; Abdul Aziz Al-Muqbali, Issam Al Sabhi, Khalid Al-Hajri.
Japan
Japan kept their quest for a place in the next World Cup when they beat Vietnam 1-0 in their last game.
An early goal from Junya Ito secured the win for Japan and gave them their second win in a row as they beat Australia in the previous match.
Those wins helped to close the gap between them and the top three teams in the table and will give them confidence going into this game.
Hajime Moriyasu’s team are just a point behind second place and could go just one point behind table-toppers Saudi Arabia, depending on other results.
Possible Japan starting line-ups
Shuichi Gonda (GK); Yuto Nagatomo, Maya Yoshida, Hiroki Sakai, Takehiro Tomiyasu; Wataru Endo, Gaku Shibasaki; Takuma Asano, Daichi Kamada, Takumi Minamino; Yuya Osako.
Prediction
Oman 1-2 Japan
