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Being the most successful team of the tournament, all eyes will be on Japan when they take the field against Turkmenistan on January 9 in their first group match of the Asian Cup.
In fact, Japan is one of the main contenders to lift the title, having some wonderful players in the ranks and an intelligent coach at the helm. The four-time Asian Cup winners have played superbly in the World Cup and will try to add another feather in the cap of the country.
With all group stage opponents relatively lower ranked than them, Japan might have already started preparing for the pre-quarterfinals. If they finish top in the group standings, Japan will probably face Qatar in the last-16 match. If they win that, Australia will probably be waiting for them. If Japan can beat the defending champions, they could have an upper hand against Iran in the semi-finals.
Let us look at the present situation and analyze the reasons why Japan could win the title this time.
#3 Rich history in the tournament
Japan, long been the best team in the continent, will go to the Asian Cup with the sole aim, to win the tournament. Japan have last won the tournament in 2011 and eight years is a long time for a champion team like Japan to wait.
They had a dismal campaign last time around, 2015, when they were beaten by a lower ranked United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the quarter-final.
After developing their domestic football, Japan started making their presence felt on the international arena in the 1990s. Their domestic league became more professionalized, it was completely revamped and players were offered more lucrative contracts. Japan went on to host the Asian Cup in 1992 and won it, beating Saudi Arabia in the final.
They were becoming the most lethal team in Asia with each passing year. The 2000 Asian Cup was more competitive in nature, having found greater coverage. Japan thrashed Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan in the group stages before defeating Saudi Arabia again in the final.
The co-hosting of 2002 World Cup made Japan the giant of the continent and the country made a name for themselves with an impressive performance at the global stage. In the four editions of the Asian Cup in this century, Japan has won two of it, with the last one coming in 2011.
Japan is a perennial favorite for this tournament due to their long and rich history and one would not be surprised if the Blue Samurai's lift the title on February 1.
#2 Recent form in international matches
2018 has been a great football year for the Japanese national team. The year, though, did not start well with a draw against Ghana, followed up by three consecutive losses against Ukraine, Ghana, and Switzerland in the build-up to the World Cup.
Questions started to arise with the then coach Akira Nishino about his team selection and technical mindset. However, a 4-2 win over Paraguay in a friendly before the World Cup restored some faith in the national team.
No one thought Japan would produce a mesmerizing performance in the World Cup. In their first group match against Colombia, Japan not only defeated them 2-1 but created history by becoming the first Asian country to beat a South American country.
Japan continued the same form in the next match against Senegal with a fighting 2-2 draw before losing to Poland in the following match. Japan qualified for the next round by virtue of fair play.
They produced their best performance of the tournament against hot favorites Belgium by scoring two early second-half goals. However, inexperience prevented them a win as they couldn't hold onto their lead and conceded goals in the dying moments of the match.
#1 Talented players with a good coach
Going down after putting up a fighting spirit against Belgium in World Cup, few players hung up their boots. Among them were notable players like Keisuke Honda, Gotoku Sakai, and Makoto Hasebe. However, Japan did not miss their service as some talented players emerged through the well organized domestic system.
One notable player is definitely their captain, Maya Yoshida. The Nagasaki-born defender has played every minute of Japan’s group stage matches in the World Cup. In his sixth season with English Premier League side Southampton FC, Yoshida has already earned a reputation for his impeccable defensive capabilities. His positional awareness is incredible and he can lead the defensive line with ease.
Yuya Osako who played as a lone striker in the World Cup has successfully carried the goal-scoring responsibility for his country after the retirement of Honda. He found the net against Uruguay and Kyrgyzstan in the friendlies.
One of the youngsters in the team is Ritsu Doan, who plays for Belgian side FC Groningen. He can play in any of the attacking midfield positions, and opponents should be wary of his pace and skills.
After Akira Nishino decided to step down as coach after World Cup, Japan gave U-23 coach Hajime Moriyasu the responsibility to manage the senior squad. Since taking over, Moriyasu has brought an attacking mentality within the team. Under him, Japan has played five matches, winning four and drawing one.
He has instilled some youngsters in the squad and his expansive and wide attacking is there for all to see.
If Moriyasu becomes successful with his game-plan and the stars gel, then Japan would have no problem in taking back the Asian Cup mantle from Australia.
