China vs Japan WC Qualifier Preview: Lineup, Prediction, and Where to Watch

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China vs Japan WC Qualifier Preview: Lineup, Prediction, and Where to Watch

China vs Japan: On November 19, 2024, China PR will face Japan in a highly anticipated World Cup AFC Qualification match. The game is set to kick off at the Xiamen Stadium in Xiamen, China.

China vs Japan Head-to-Head Record

 

  • Japan Wins: 17
  • Draws: 9
  • China Wins: 15

 

Last 3 Meetings

  1. September 5, 2024 – Japan 7–0 China (World Cup Qualification)
  2. January 27, 2022 – Japan 2–0 China (World Cup Qualification)
  3. September 7, 2021 – China 0–1 Japan (World Cup Qualification)

Form Guide

China (Last 6 Matches in Qualification):
❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅

  • Wins: 2
  • Losses: 3
  • Goals Scored: 5
  • Goals Conceded: 13

Japan (Last 6 Matches in Qualification):
✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ➖ ✅

  • Wins: 5
  • Draws: 1
  • Goals Scored: 19
  • Goals Conceded: 1

 

Standings (Group C)

Position Team Matches Wins Draws Losses Goals Points
1 Japan 5 4 1 0 19:1 13
4 China 5 2 0 3 5:13 6

 

Lineups

China (Manager: Branko Ivanković)

  • Goalkeeper: Wang Dalei
  • Defenders: Zhu Chenjie, Li Lei, Jiang Shenglong, Liu Yang
  • Midfielders: Wang Shangyuan, Li Yuanyi
  • Forwards: Zhang Yuning, Wei Shihao, Lin Liangming, Behram Abduweli

Japan (Manager: Hajime Moriyasu)

  • Goalkeeper: Zion Suzuki
  • Defenders: Kou Itakura, Koki Machida, Daiki Hashioka
  • Midfielders: Hidemasa Morita, Wataru Endo, Kaoru Mitoma, Takumi Minamino, Ritsu Doan, Daichi Kamada
  • Forward: Koki Ogawa

 

10 Key Stats

  1. Japan has won the last three meetings against China without conceding a goal.
  2. Japan has a goal difference of 24-8 in their 13 total encounters with China.
  3. China has not beaten Japan in over 13 meetings, with six draws and seven losses.
  4. Japan scores 32% of their goals between the 76th and 90th minute.
  5. Japan is unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions.
  6. China has conceded in each of their last nine matches.
  7. Japan’s away record in qualification: 3 wins, 0 losses, 0 goals conceded.
  8. Wu Lei (China) has scored five goals in qualification; Ayase Ueda (Japan) leads with eight goals.
  9. China scores an average of 0.2 goals per match against Japan; Japan averages 2.4 goals per match.
  10. Japan has scored in their last 28 consecutive matches.

 

SWOT Analysis: China vs Japan

 

China PR

Strengths:

  1. Home Advantage: China PR scores 1.14 goals on average when playing at home. They also win 66% of their home matches when leading 1-0.
  2. Top Scorer: Wu Lei, with 5 goals, is the team’s top scorer, which can provide an attacking threat.
  3. Team Resilience in the First Half: Although they win only 14% of the first halves, China PR has the ability to hold strong early on, sometimes leading 1-0 at home.

Weaknesses:

  1. Poor Head-to-Head Record: China PR has never won against Japan in their last 13 encounters, with only 6 draws and 7 defeats. Japan has an overall goal difference of 24-8 in their favor.
  2. Defensive Issues: China PR has conceded in their last 9 matches, and they struggle to maintain defensive discipline. They also have a 0% win rate when trailing 0-1 at home.
  3. Struggles Against Strong Teams: In their last 5 meetings with Japan, China PR has not won a single match, losing 4 times with 1 draw.
  4. Low First Half Wins: China PR wins only 14% of their matches at halftime, which could affect their ability to capitalize on early opportunities.

Opportunities:

  1. Home Support: Playing at home, China PR could leverage the home crowd to boost their morale, especially when they manage to score first.
  2. Improvement in Attacking: With Wu Lei’s goal-scoring ability and Zhang Yuning’s assists, China PR has potential to cause damage if they find more attacking rhythm.

Threats:

  1. Japan’s Away Form: Japan has won their last 10 away matches and has not conceded a goal in their away games this season, making them formidable opponents on the road.
  2. Japan’s Goal Scoring Efficiency: Japan averages 3.22 goals per away match, which is significantly higher than China PR’s 1.14 goals per home match. This high scoring rate could overwhelm China PR’s defense.

 

Japan

Strengths:

  1. Strong Away Record: Japan has a perfect away record this season (3-0-0), scoring an average of 3.22 goals per away match and not conceding any goals in World Cup Qualification, AFC.
  2. Consistent Scoring: Japan has scored at least once in their last 28 matches and has a high goal-scoring average of 2.4 goals per match against China PR.
  3. Winning Streak: Japan is on a 9-match unbeaten streak, which includes an impressive 10-match winning streak away from home.
  4. High Win Rate Leading: Japan wins 85% of the time when leading 1-0 away, showing resilience in holding onto leads.
  5. Strong Attackers: Ayase Ueda, Japan’s top scorer with 8 goals, and Junya Ito, their key assister, provide a potent attacking threat.

Weaknesses:

  1. Vulnerability When Trailing: Japan has not won when they are down 1-0 away (0% win rate), which may be a potential weakness if they concede first.
  2. Pressure to Maintain Record: The team is under pressure to maintain their strong away form, and this could lead to overconfidence or mistakes if not managed properly.

Opportunities:

  1. Extended Winning Streak: Japan has an opportunity to extend their unbeaten run and further solidify their dominance over China PR, building on their recent 7-goal victory in their last meeting.
  2. Capitalizing on China PR’s Defensive Weakness: With China PR conceding in 9 straight matches, Japan’s offensive power can exploit these vulnerabilities.

Threats:

  1. Complacency: Given their recent dominance over China PR and perfect away record, Japan might become complacent, underestimating the potential for an upset.
  2. China PR’s Home Advantage: Though Japan has a strong record, China PR could find some inspiration from playing at home and take advantage of the psychological edge.

 

China vs Japan Prediction

China faces an uphill task against a Japanese side firing on all cylinders. With their recent 7-0 defeat fresh in memory, China’s primary objective may be damage limitation. Japan’s attacking depth and defensive discipline make them overwhelming favorites.

Predicted Score: China 0–2 Japan.

Where to Watch China vs Japan

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