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Japan will get their 2023 AFC Asian Cup campaign underway against Vietnam at the Al Thumama Stadium on Sunday.
Japan, the record-four-time champions and runners-up from the previous edition, have been drawn alongside Vietnam, Indonesia, and Iraq in Group D and are expected to finish as the group toppers. They finished as the champions when Qatar last hosted the competition in 2011 and will look to repeat that feat.
They have been in tremendous form and have registered 10 wins in a row. While eight games in that period were friendlies, in their two competitive games in that period, they recorded 5-0 wins over Myanmar and Syria in the AFC World Cup qualifiers in November.
They played Thailand and Jordan in friendlies earlier this month, recording 5-0 and 6-1 wins respectively, and are expected to enjoy a prolific outing in their campaign opener.
Vietnam have qualified for the continental competition for the second time in a row. In the previous edition, they made it to the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Japan.
They have lost five of their last six games across all competitions and lost 2-1 to Kyrgyz Republic in a friendly earlier this week.
Japan vs Vietnam Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams have squared off five times across all competitions thus far. As expected, Japan have been the dominant side in this fixture and have an unbeaten record against the Golden Star Warriors. They have four wins to their name while just one game has ended in draws.
- Interestingly, Vietnam have crossed paths against the Samurai Blue in their two appearances in the AFC Asian Cup (excluding appearances as South Vietnam before unification). They met in the group stage in 2007, with Japan recording a 4-1 win, and again in the 2019 quarter-finals, with the four-time champions eking out a 1-0 win.
- They last squared off in an AFC 2022 World Cup qualifier, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw.
Japan vs Vietnam Prediction
The Samurai Blue head into the competition on a 10-game winning run, scoring 45 goals while conceding just six times in that period. Hajime Moriyasu has called up a star-studded squad with Takumi Minamino, Daizen Maeda, Takefusa Kubo, and Kaoru Mitoma leading the attacking lineup.
Mitoma is nursing an ankle injury and is unlikely to start here as he participated in limited training in preparation for the campaign opener. Kubo has returned to full fitness, overcoming a thigh injury, and could get the nod to start.
The Golden Star Warriors have lost five of their last six games in all competitions, failing to score four times in that period. They have failed to score in three of their five meetings against Japan and are the second favorites in this match.
To make matters worse, an injury crisis has hit them in the buildup to the Asian Cup as Que Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Tien Linh, Dang Van Lam, Nguyen Thanh Chung, and Hoang Van Toan have dropped out of the squad with various ailments. Nguyen Hoang Duc is also nursing an injury and is a confirmed absentee in the campaign opener.
With that in mind and considering Japan's dominance in this fixture, we back them to record a comfortable win.
Prediction: Japan 4-1 Vietnam
Japan vs Vietnam 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
