Outright Odds: 300/one
Group F Winners: sixteen/one
Japan are a tough workforce to predict. Past year they conquer European champions Greece and gained a reputable attract with Brazil in last decades Confederations Cup but their qualifying campaign was lower than convincing.
They lost just after in 12 qualifying matches, absent at Iran, and topped the team All round, but they only managed to score a lot more than two aims in opposition to a seriously depleted Indian facet and required last minute wins versus Oman and Korea DPR.
This kind of feebleness in qualification observed the public demand manager Zicos head but The very fact they certified with the tournament will help you save the Brazilian soccer legends task In the interim. Japan reached the 2nd round 4 several years in the past but they're going to do effectively to achieve that phase this time all around.
The 2002 campaign observed Japan defeat a dismal Russia ahead of narrowly losing out to Turkey in the 2nd spherical. Legend has it that then-coach Phillipe Troussier selected striker Akinori Nishizawa, who experienced not performed within the tournament, forward of standard strikers Takayuki Suzuki and Atushi Yanagisawa mainly because it was his birthday. Definitely Zico wouldnt make such a mistake?
A British isles-centered midfield trio 안전놀이터 of Hidetoshi Nakata (Bolton Wanderers), Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic), Junichi Inamoto (West Bromwich Albion) and when in shape, Shinji Ono of Feyenoord offers Japan their greatest chance of achievement its the rest of the team which lacks genuine Intercontinental class.
The common strike pairing of Naohiro Takahara and Yanagisawa don't get frequent club soccer with Hamburg and Messina although the remainder of the side is produced up of residents on the vastly improving J-League. Only four of the 23 gamers in previous decades Confederations Cup squad were dependent overseas.
The centre fifty percent-pairing of Gamba Osakas Tsuneyasu Miyamoto and Yokohamas Yuji Nakazawa had been stable in the course of a qualification campaign which conceded just 5 targets but Brazil, Croatia and Australia will provide a A great deal sterner check. Portsmouth flop Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, manufactured the scapegoat following Pompey shed four-1 in the home to Leyton Orient on his debut, has showcased in excess of eighty instances in purpose for his state.
Japan may very well be victims of their own personal current good results and expectation is going to be excellent at this several years finals. Even though There is certainly a lot of talent in midfield, the workforce as a whole is probably not nearly emulating their team topping exploits of 4 yrs ago and so are unlikely to determine while in the knockout stages.
Suggested Bet
An unconvincing qualification marketing campaign and a lack of ambitions in the two strikers means Japan cannot be backed to qualify in the group. In reality, they could be propping up the rest by the point the 3 to start with spherical matches are accomplished and backing versus them might be a far better financial investment than supporting them.
Croatia to beat Japan @ 4/five