Comments and predictions for Australia vs Japan: An uncompromising battle
The match between Australia and Japan in the World Cup qualifiers will take place at 7:00 a.m. on June 5. Nghe An Newspaper analyzes performance, makes football comments and predicts the score.
Latest Australia vs Japan team information
After completing a training camp in the United Arab Emirates, coach Tony Popovic could choose from a 26-man squad on Thursday, including several names returning from injury.
Parma centre-back Alessandro Circati has recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in September, and he is joined by Middlesbrough's Riley McGree and St Pauli's Connor Metcalfe. Metcalfe's team-mate Jackson Irvine is still out after foot surgery.
Meanwhile, Kasey Bos and Benfica youngster Paul Okon-Engstler — son of former Socceroos star Paul Okon — have both been called up for the first time. Paul played a key role in Australia's recent success at the AFC U20 Asian Cup.
Once again, Brandon Borrello, Mitch Duke and Adam Taggart will compete for the striker spot for the hosts, while it remains to be seen who will lead the Japanese attack.
With their World Cup berths secured, Hajime Moriyasu called up a squad that was missing several key players and included several new faces. European stars such as Kaoru Mitoma, Ao Tanaka, Ko Itakura, Ayase Ueda and Hidemasa Morita were all left out as the Samurai Blue called up seven players for their first international call-up.
However, two experienced players have been retained: 38-year-old defender Yuto Nagatomo will hope to make his 143rd appearance, while captain Wataru Endo will start in midfield.
Latest Australia vs Japan expected lineup
Australia:
Ryan; Geria, Burgess, Degenek; Miller, Teague, O'Neill, Behich; McGree, Boyle; Borrello
Japan:
Z. Suzuki; Seko, Machida, Takai; Morishita, Fujita, Endo, Nakamura; Kubo, Kamada; Machino
Latest Australia vs Japan football commentary
Australia know that just four points from their final two Group C games will be enough to book a direct place at the upcoming World Cup finals, when they face their only rival for second place, Saudi Arabia, next Tuesday.
Leading the Green Falcons by three points and with a better goal difference, the Socceroos consolidated their position with two consecutive wins in March — beating Indonesia 5-1 and then beating China 2-0.
If coach Tony Popovic and his players make mistakes this month, they still have another chance to progress: the third- or fourth-placed teams will enter the next AFC qualifiers in October.
This round will determine two more teams that qualify directly, and those that have not yet succeeded may have a final chance in the intercontinental play-offs.
Of course, the Australians will want to avoid that circuitous route, and another win at home in Perth could almost certainly see them through — if not, they still have a second chance next week.
Much has changed since a slump in form saw the departure of Graham Arnold, who guided Australia to the last 16 in Qatar, while Popovic has never tasted defeat.
However, his team must now raise the bar. Australia have not beaten Japan for 16 years, although a 1-1 draw in Saitama last October ended a run of three straight defeats.
Meanwhile, Japan can compete more comfortably as it has secured a place in the major FIFA international tournament taking place in the US, Canada and Mexico.
The Samurai Blue remained unbeaten in the third round of the previous qualifiers, drawing 0-0 at home to Saudi Arabia, and have won six of their eight qualifiers so far.
Conceding just two goals and scoring an average of three goals per game, coach Hajime Moriyasu's team has surpassed their opponents to lead Group C before the final two rounds.
As the first non-host team to qualify, Japan will be taking part in an eighth consecutive World Cup, aiming to build on promising performances at Qatar 2022.
To maintain the momentum, Moriyasu players will try to keep their unbeaten streak in the final two matches — first away to Australia, then hosting Indonesia in Suita next Tuesday.
Latest Australia vs Japan score prediction
Based on the above football comments, we and the world's leading football sites have given the results of the match.Australia vs Japanas follows:
- Sportsmole:Australia 1-1 Japan
- WhoScore:Australia 2-2 Japan
- Our newspaper predicts:Australia 1-1 Japan
When and where to watch Australia vs Japan live?
To watch the Australia vs Japan match live in the World Cup qualifiers taking place at 7:00 a.m. on June 5, viewers can watch onK+ Sport,K+PMor online sports channels. Wish you have fun watching football.
