Two teams at opposite ends of Group C in the third round of AFC World Cup qualifiers will clash on Thursday as leaders Japan face Bahrain.
The hosts are top of the group and are yet to lose, while the visitors are fifth in the standings but only outside the top four on goal difference.
Match preview
Japan have enjoyed an incredible run of results since crashing out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on penalties against Croatia, winning 22 of the next 27 matches across all competitions.
Those results have seen Japan top Group B in the second round of World Cup qualifiers, securing six wins from six games, while they are on course to secure direct qualification to the World Cup in top spot in the third round.
Hajime Moriyasu, in charge since August 2018, has led the side to five wins and one draw from their six outings thus far in the third qualifying round, leaving them with 16 points and a nine point lead over second-placed Australia.
Japan could become the first non-host nation and the quickest team in history to seal their qualification to the upcoming World Cup if they defeat Bahrain on Thursday, while a draw could be enough depending on results elsewhere.
Moriyasu will be aware that the matchup with Bahrain is far from a comfortable victory, however, as the visitors are battling for a chance to finish in the top four of the group.
Bahrain are also in strong form heading into Thursday's matchup, with four wins and one loss from their last five outings, a run that included lifting the Gulf Cup trophy after dramatically defeating Oman 2-1 in the final.
Bahrain, who last lifted the Gulf Cup in 2019, had to come from 1-0 down to best Oman, who took the lead in the 17th-minute, and two goals in the 78th and 80th-minutes were enough to ensure the comeback and secure the silverware.
However, that form has not been matched in the opening six fixtures of their AFC World Cup qualifiers, managing one win, three draws and two defeats, leaving them narrowly outside the top four in fifth place.
Dragan Talajic's side are joint on points with China, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, while they trail second-placed Australia by just one point, leaving everything still up for grabs with four fixtures remaining.
Bahrain have struggled in previous meetings with Japan, though, losing all of the last four encounters, including a 5-0 humiliation in the reverse fixture in September 2024.
Team News
As potential World Cup qualification is on the line in the upcoming qualifiers, Moriyasu named an expectedly, and familiarly, strong squad, with usual inclusions for Kaoru Mitoma and Takefusa Kubo among others.
Ayase Ueda was also brought back into the squad after a stint on the sidelines, while Hiroki Ito has also returned to the squad after a lengthy absence due to injury.
Given the opportunity to ensure qualification with a win on Thursday, Moriyasu is expected to name several of these players among his starting 11, with a strong team likely.
As for Bahrain, a similar squad to the one that featured in their Gulf Cup triumph is expected to feature over the next two matches, with their top scorer in that tournament, Mohamed Marhoon, likely to start.
In defence, Waleed Al-Hayam and Amine Benadi are both expected to start in the centre, with Abdulla Al-Khalasi and Hamad Al-Shamsan playing from full-back positions.
Japan possible starting lineup:
Suzuki; Seko, Itakura, H. Ito, J. Ito, Endo, Tanaka, Mitoma; Kubo, Kamada; Furuhashi
Bahrain possible starting lineup:
Lutfalla; Al-Shamsan, Benadi, Al-Hayam, Al-Khalasi; Saeed, Al-Aswad; Madan, Marhoon, Al-Humaidan; Romaihi
We say: Japan 4-0 Bahrain
Japan have been virtually unstoppable in World Cup qualifying, including a 5-0 victory against Bahrain in the reverse fixture, leading us to expect a similarly dominant win for the hosts here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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