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Japan will lock horns against Indonesia at the Al Thumama Stadium in their final group-stage match of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup on Wednesday.
Japan, the runners-up from the previous edition, suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Iraq in their previous outing. Aymen Hussein bagged a first-half brace to give Iraq a two-goal lead which ensured their spot in the knockout stage. Wataru Endō scored for Japan in second half stoppage time but it was too little, too late.
Indonesia lost their campaign opener 3-1 to Iraq but kept their qualification hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Vietnam on Friday. Asnawi Mangkualam scored the only goal of the match in the 42nd minute from the penalty spot.
With both teams having three points from two games, the winner of this match will automatically earn a place in the knockout stage. A draw will work in favor of the 2019 runners-up but it will also leave Indonesia in a good place to make it to the next round as one of the best third-ranked teams from the group stage.
Japan vs Indonesia Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams have a long-standing rivalry and have met 15 times across all competitions thus far and will meet for the first time at the Asian Cup finals. As expected, the Blue Samurai have the upper hand in these meetings with eight wins. Tim Garuda have five wins to their name and two games have ended in draws.
- The two teams will meet for the first time in the 21st century and in their last meeting, the 2019 Asian Cup runners-up recorded a 5-0 win on aggregate in the group stage of the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
- The 2011 champions have kept four clean sheets in their last six meetings against Indonesia, who have never made it to the knockout stage of the Asian Cup.
Japan vs Indonesia Prediction
The Blue Samurai saw their 10-game winning run come to an end on Friday and will look to bounce back with a win in this match. Interestingly, they have conceded two goals apiece in their two group-stage games thus far, so head coach Hajime Moriyasu will look to improve upon his team's defensive performance.
Takehiro Tomiyasu was included in the squad against Iraq and made an appearance from the bench after being left out of the campaign opener. He has returned to full fitness and might get the nod to start in this match.
Merah Putih recorded their first win after six games on Friday, defeating Vietnam 1-0. The win kept them in contention for their first-ever qualification into the knockout stage. They have scored one goal apiece in their two games in the competition thus far and will look to continue the goalscoring form here.
This is a crucial match for both teams and experience comes in handy in such situations. With that in mind, the Blue Samurai should be able to eke out a narrow win.
Prediction: Japan 2-1 Indonesia
Japan vs Indonesia Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Japan to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Takumi Minamino to score or assist any time - Yes
