Two teams at opposing ends of the Group C table are set to come together on Friday afternoon when Indonesia host Japan in the AFC World Cup qualifiers.
The hosts are fifth in the group table with just three points from four games, while the visitors are top of the table with 10 points from their four outings.
Match preview
© Imago
Indonesia entered the third round of AFC FIFA World Cup qualifiers with hopes of securing a spot in just their second-ever World Cup, their first since 1938 when, still known as the Dutch East Indies, they became the first side from Asia to appear in the competition but were eliminated in the opening round.
Shin Tae-yong, who has been in charge of the team since 2020, would have been delighted with how his side kickstarted their third round campaign, recording morale-boosting draws against both Saudi Arabia (1-1) and Australia (0-0).
While they would go on to remain unbeaten after three matches as they drew 2-2 with Bahrain, Indonesia were left disappointed as they threw away their first three points of the group after conceding a 99th-minute equaliser, having led 2-1 heading into the final minutes.
Their unbeaten run came to an end in their last outing, where, despite dominating the game with 76% possession and 14 shots to their opponents' five, China ran out 2-1 winners, leaving Indonesia still searching for their first victory in the group.
Those results leave Indonesia not only still seeking their first win but also sitting in fifth place, two points behind the three teams above them, making every point vital in their pursuit of keeping their World Cup dreams alive.
Tae-yong will be hopeful that his team can recover from their recent defeat and start their climb up the group standings, but they face tough challenges ahead in the international break, with matches against group leaders Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Japan have been one of the standout teams in the third round of AFC World Cup qualifiers, remaining unbeaten alongside just three other teams, while also having the highest number of goals scored, 15, and the joint-best defensive record, conceding just once.
Hajime Moriyasu will be delighted with Japan's strong record, especially after their disappointing performance in the 2023 Asian Cup earlier this year, where the Samurai Blue were defeated by Iraq in the group stage and eliminated by Iran in the quarterfinals.
They breezed through the second round of qualifying for this stage as they triumphed in all six matches, scoring 24 and conceding none to top the group with 18 points, nine more than second-placed North Korea, and that form has continued into the third round.
Japan's third-round campaign began with a commanding 7-0 victory over China, followed by wins against Bahrain (5-0) and Saudi Arabia (2-0), before being held to a 1-1 draw by Australia in their most recent match.
Now aiming to return to winning ways and move one step closer to securing their place at the World Cup for the eighth consecutive tournament, Moriyasu's men will take on an Indonesia side that they comfortably beat 3-1 in their last meeting in the Asian Cup group stage.
Team News
© Imago
Despite earning just one point from their matches against Bahrain and China during the October international break, Indonesia were dominant in both games, which could encourage Tae-yong to stick with the same lineup for this match.
Thom Haye came off the bench to score Indonesia's only goal in the defeat to China last time out, and the midfielder is likely to return to the starting 11 alongside Ivar Jenner here.
Kevin Diks is set to join the Indonesia squad for the first time after confirming he will play for the Garuda Squad, and the FC Copenhagen defender is anticipated to make his debut against Japan.
Ayase Ueda, who has started all four of Japan's third-round group games, has been ruled out of the upcoming matches due to injury, with Kyogo Furuhashi set to replace him after returning to the squad for the first time since October 2023.
Elsewhere, Moriyasu is anticipated to name a similar attacking lineup to the one that has featured in all of their previous outings, with Takefusa Kubo and Takumi Minamino playing just behind the striker while Kaoru Mitoma and Ritsu Doan play from wide positions.
Zion Suzuki, Ko Itakura, Shogo Taniguchi and Koki Machida have started all of the last four matches together in defence, and with Moriyasu expecting a difficult away game against Indonesia, he is likely to stick with this combination here.
Indonesia possible starting lineup:
Paes; Walsh, Diks, Amat, Idzes, Verdonk; Sulaeman, Jenner, Haye, Oratmangoen; Struick
Japan possible starting lineup:
Suzuki; Itakura, Taniguchi, Machida; Doan, Endo, Morita, Mitoma; Minamino, Kubo; Furuhashi
We say: Indonesia 0-3 Japan
While Indonesia are expected to put up a fight against group leaders Japan, the Samurai Blue are undeniably the superior side heading into this match, and we anticipate them to secure a comfortable victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
Iran
Kyrgyzstan
North Korea
Qatar
UAE
Uzbekistan
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Oman
Palestine
South Korea
Australia
Bahrain
China
Indonesia
Japan
Saudi Arabia
