Outright Odds: three hundred/one
Group F Winners: 16/one
Japan can be a tricky team to 사설사이트 forecast. Final 12 months they beat European champions Greece and acquired a reputable attract with Brazil in last years Confederations Cup but their qualifying campaign was lower than convincing.
They misplaced just as soon as in 12 qualifying matches, absent at Iran, and topped the group overall, However they only managed to attain over two plans against a seriously depleted Indian aspect and necessary last minute wins in opposition to Oman and Korea DPR.
Such feebleness in qualification noticed the general public call for manager Zicos head but the fact they experienced for the Match will conserve the Brazilian soccer legends work for the time being. Japan arrived at the 2nd spherical four yrs ago but they are going to do perfectly to succeed in that phase this time around.
The 2002 campaign saw Japan defeat a dismal Russia just before narrowly dropping out to Turkey in the next spherical. Legend has it that then-coach Phillipe Troussier selected striker Akinori Nishizawa, who had not played during the Event, forward of normal strikers Takayuki Suzuki and Atushi Yanagisawa because it was his birthday. Surely Zico wouldnt make this kind of oversight?
A UK-centered midfield trio of Hidetoshi Nakata (Bolton Wanderers), Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic), Junichi Inamoto (West Bromwich Albion) and if fit, Shinji Ono of Feyenoord provides Japan their greatest chance of good results its the rest of the crew which lacks true Intercontinental course.
The typical strike pairing of Naohiro Takahara and Yanagisawa usually do not get standard club soccer with Hamburg and Messina while the remainder of the side is manufactured up of people from the vastly improving J-League. Only 4 with the 23 players in last many years Confederations Cup squad had been dependent abroad.
The centre 50 percent-pairing of Gamba Osakas Tsuneyasu Miyamoto and Yokohamas Yuji Nakazawa were reliable throughout a qualification marketing campaign which conceded just five ambitions but Brazil, Croatia and Australia will give a A lot sterner test. Portsmouth flop Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, made the scapegoat soon after Pompey missing four-one in the home to Leyton Orient on his debut, has featured over 80 times in objective for his region.
Japan could be victims of their very own modern success and expectation will be wonderful at this a long time finals. Though There's lots of expertise in midfield, the team as a whole will not be nearly emulating their group topping exploits of 4 several years in the past and they are unlikely to figure during the knockout levels.
Suggested Wager
An unconvincing qualification marketing campaign and an absence of plans in the two strikers indicates Japan can't be backed to qualify with the group. The truth is, they could be propping up The remainder by the point the three to start with spherical matches are finished and backing versus them can be an improved financial commitment than supporting them.
Croatia to defeat Japan @ 4/five