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The most successful team in the history of AFC Asian Cup comes against the minors of the cup as Japan take on Turkmenistan in a Group F fixture at the Al Nahyan Stadium of Abu Dhabi. The question will be whether Turkmenistan can rewrite history at the same place where India did two days back. We look out the possibilities with a predicted lineup of both the teams.
Japan
Japan have been an ambassador of young and wide attacking football. Coach Hajime Moriyasu has used the young talents of the country well, to develop a culture of fast and pacy attacks, hard to deal with for the opposition.
Masaaki Higashiguchi is expected to guard the net for the Blue Samurais. In the defence, veteran Yuto Nagatomo will be covering the left wing, while Hiroki Sakai does the same on the other flank. The two centre-backs will be Maya Yoshida and Tomoaki Makino, who are coming in with a lot of experience.
Moriyasu's midfield will be one to watch out for with a mixture of fresh talent and international exposure. Japan would have two holding midfielders in the form of Endo Wataru and Gaku Shibasaki who has a good combination at the centre of the park. The attacking trio will be Ritsu Doan and Shoya Nakajima on either wings and Takumi Minamino playing behind the striker.
If the gaffer goes for the lone striker plan, Yuya Osako, one of the best forwards in the competition this edition, will lead the play.
Japan (4-2-3-1): Masaaki Higashiguchi, Yuto Nagatomo, Maya Yoshida, Tomoaki Makino, Hiroki Sakai, Endo Wataru, Gaku Shibasaki, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Ritsu Doan, Yuya Osako
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan, being one of the least prepared teams coming into the Asian Cup, would be depending on defensive tactics to get past the Japan forces. Forming good attacking plans and executing it well looks difficult in the scenario for the team which lacks combination between the players.
Turkmenistan will appoint 34-year old custodian Mammet Orzamuhammedow in front of goal. The defence will have Serdar Annaorazow and Akmyrat Jumanazarow as the stopper backs and Short Soyunow and Mekan Saparow as the full backs.
The 4-man midfield will most probably have Ruslan Mingazow and Umidjan Astanow at the centre and Arslanmyrat Amanow and Ahmed Atayew playing out wide. The two strikers to get to the finishing end would be Suleyman Muhadow and Serdaraly Atayew.
Turkmenistan (4-4-2): Mammet Orzamuhammedow, Short Soyunow, Mekan Saparow, Serdar Annaorazow, Akmyrat Jumanazarow, Arslanmyrat Amanow, Ruslan Mingazow, Umidjan Astanow, Ahmed Atayew, Suleyman Muhadow, Serdaraly Atayew
