🏏 Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:00 JST
China
vs
Japan
4-3-1-2 vs 3-4-2-1
Substitutes
Substitutes
Match Preview
- On matchday six of the Asian final qualifying round, leaders Japan (13 points) face fifth-placed China (six points) away. Japan won the previous home meeting 7-0, and now aim for back-to-back wins away in Xiamen.
- Koki Ogawa is handed a lone striker role, a chance to bring the scoring touch he showed at NEC to the national team. With the link-up play and eye for goal honed in the Eredivisie, he will put pressure on China's defence.
- The two shadow strikers Takumi Minamino and Takefusa Kubo are a pairing combining creativity and finishing. Monaco's Minamino and Real Sociedad's Kubo will want to seize the initiative with technique and pace that outdo China's midfield.
- The four-man midfield of Keito Nakamura, Ao Tanaka, Wataru Endo and Junya Ito is characterised by its balance across attack and defence. Reims' Nakamura and Leeds' Tanaka do the playmaking, while the flanks add weight to the attack.
- China build their attack around naturalised player Serginho, with a front two alongside number 10 Wei Shihao. The question is how much of a threat the technique of Brazilian-born Serginho poses to Japan's defence.
- Japan's back three of Koki Machida, Ko Itakura and Ayumu Seko relies on the stability provided by Ajax's Itakura at its core. Covering and coordination against China's quick attacks will be important.
- Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki will want to show his stability with the national team in this important match. Drawing on his Serie A experience at Parma, he will need concentration to cope with China's varied attacking patterns.
- Japan have rich attacking options off the bench in Kaoru Mitoma, Daichi Kamada, Daizen Maeda and Shuto Machino. With substitutions to suit the flow of the game, they will want to keep threatening China's defence to the very end.