International Friendly: Japan to Sharpen Up Ahead of Qatar Gauntlet

Japan vs Paraguay

With Japan slated in the so-called “Group of Death” for the upcoming World Cup in November, it is a must that they prepare for their biggest challenge yet.

For the said event in Qatar, they are drawn alongside Germany, Spain, and the winner of the CONCACAF-OFC Qualifier between Costa Rica and New Zealand in Group E, and they’re planning to play several exhibition games in June including this upcoming International Friendly against Paraguay this Thursday at the Sapporo Dome.

They will come up against a Paraguay side that have failed to qualify in the World Cup for the third consecutive time. But despite missing out on Qatar, La Albirroja are not to be taken for granted.

The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds are backing the hosts to win, especially since they’ve kept things tight on home soil while their visitors have been out of form and woeful on the road.

Talking Points

Rising stars take centre stage for Japan

Hajime Moriyasu’s side is expected to win is because of their loaded lineup with much of their roster having played for various European teams in these past few seasons.

Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino and Real Madrid’s Takefusa Kubo have often shared the spotlight because of their ability to score and both are likely to create more International Friendly 2022 highlights, but there are other players who could make their case as they prepare ahead for Qatar.

One of them is striker Kyogo Furuhashi, who has been excellent for Celtic this season as he was one of their key players en route to winning the Scottish Premiership this year. The 27-year-old has scored 20 goals and he’s eyeing to become one of Japan’s main cogs.

Another one is Daichi Kamada, who is instrumental in helping Eintracht Frankfurt win their second-ever Europa League title. The attacking midfielder started in Japan’s first three final qualifying games last year but he lost his starting place for some reason.

VfB Stuttgart’s Hiroki Ito and Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu have also been called up once more to bolster their defence.

Ito has been a constant starter for Stuttgart in his first Bundesliga season and his assist to Wataru Endo against Koln sealed their top-flight status for next season. Tomiyasu, on the other hand, has been a solid option for the Gunners this term. 

Paraguay are still a work in progress

Following their disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign, Paraguay is back to the drawing board and head coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto has the unenviable task of turning this team into a contender.

The Argentine tactician has called up around 30 to 35 players in his squad and they’ll play at least five friendlies in order to gauge where they’re at as of the moment. Overall, he mentioned that it’s all about taking it one step at a time.

Leading the way up front once more will be Miguel Almiron and the Romero twins, while youngsters Julio Cesar Enciso and Sebastian Ferreira are also the key men to look out for if you’re Japan.

History

This Thursday marks the first competitive match between these two sides since 2019. During their last meeting three years ago, Japan won 2-0 as Yuya Osako and Takumi Minamino scored one each per half.

In the 10 matches prior to Thursday, Japan hold the edge in the head-to-heads with four wins, while Paraguay have won twice along with four draws.

The Samurai Blue have been solid at home with 17 wins, one loss, and two draws in their previous 20 matches. They’ve also won their last three encounters against Paraguay while securing two clean sheets.

Meanwhile, Paraguay have lost seven of their last eight away matches and was held scoreless in their last six.

The Samurai Blue also have the edge in terms of recent form since they’re unbeaten in their last five games with four wins and one draw, while La Albirroja have only won once, drawn once, and loss thrice in the said stretch.

Betting Tip

Japan are being favoured by the International Friendly 2022 odds. In the 1×2 market, the Samurai Blue are priced at 1.82, while a victory for Paraguay is pegged at 4.30 and chances for a draw are at 3.35.

Goals can come in bunches for this game, particularly from the Japanese, so going for Total Goal 2-3 @ 1.83 is also a plausible betting option.

The Samurai Blue plan to give their home supporters a great show, and a winnable match against a struggling La Albirroja should give them the momentum that they need in these next few weeks.

 

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