Preview: Bahrain vs Japan – Prediction, team news, lineups

Bahrain Welcome Japan to Riffa for an AFC World Cup Qualifying on Tuesday, fresh from a stunning victory last week.

On a day full of surprises across Asia, Bahrain's victory was arguably the biggest of all as the team defied all expectations and travelled to Australia to take the three points.

Game Preview

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In one of Bahrain’s best results ever, Dragan Talajic led his team to a 1-0 victory on the Gold Coast, with Harry SouttarThe late own goal separated the two teams.

Bahrain had lost all four previous meetings between the two teams and Australia had a run of 11 wins in 13 matches, which shows how surprising the final result was.

While Talajic wishes the qualifying phase would end here and Bahrain would automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, unfortunately the team still has nine more games to play.

However, these unlikely points should give Bahrain a big advantage in the race for fourth place behind Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia in this group.

A fourth place will see one of the smaller nations in this section advance to the final group stage, which could include many nations that have never reached the final.

Indonesia and China are the other teams Bahrain are likely to battle for a top-four place and although Indonesia picked up a surprise point away to Saudi Arabia last week, victory in Australia should give Talajic's men the upper hand going forward.

Their next test will be a tough one, however, as Japan comes into this match having inflicted a 7-0 defeat on China.

Japan is the only team Bahrain have lost to in their last eight matches, losing to their upcoming opponents in the round of 16 of the Asian Cup earlier this year.

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However, this has not been Japan's best territory on recent visits, as the Japanese have lost two of their last three away games in Bahrain.

However, optimists among the visitors will take into account the fact that Japan has won ten of the other eleven meetings between the two nations and is considered a strong favourite to do so again here.

With Australia and Saudi Arabia already dropped points after one game, Japan's 7-0 victory put them on course to finish in the top two and secure a place in the finals without having to compete beyond the fourth round.

After a weak season in the Asian Cup, in which Hajime MoriyasuAfter the Japanese team was eliminated in the quarter-finals against Iran, the Samurai Blue now want to make up for this with a comfortable qualification for the World Cup.

Japan is certainly on the way to achieving this goal, having won all four of their matches since their elimination and scoring 18 goals.

Bahrain World Cup Qualifiers – Asian Form:

Bahrain form (all competitions):

Japan World Cup Qualifiers – Asian Form:

Japan form (all competitions):

Team News

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After their stunning away win in Australia, Talajic will most likely opt for the same starting eleven as last week.

The only big name missing from the squad this week is the Bohemians striker Abdulla Yusuf Helalwho was not called up to the national team despite an excellent start to the season in the Czech Republic.

Despite the clear victory over China, Moriyasu could make some personnel changes in the Japanese team. Junya Ito And Daizen Maeda Both made a big impression as substitutes.

Maeda scored the sixth goal while Ito was involved in three of their second-half goals, and both could be rewarded with a starting place here.

In an unusual role as left-back Kaoru Mitoma still shone, but Takefusa Kubo was the star of the game and recorded two assists, which earned him the Man of the Match award.

This squad lacks defenders Hiroki Ito and Arsenal Takehiro Tomiyasuwho are both injured, while Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi was snubbed again.

Possible starting line-up for Bahrain:
Lütfalla; Emmanuel, Baqer, Benaddi, Al-Khalasi; Madan, Haram, Al Asfoor, Marhoon; Al Aswad, Hasan

Possible starting lineup for Japan:
Suzuki; Itakura, Taniguchi, Machida; Ito, Morita, Endo, Mitoma; Kubo, Minamino, Maeda

We think: Bahrain 0-3 Japan

Despite a stunning away win last week, Bahrain are unlikely to be struck by lightning twice here as Japan's superiority may prove too much for them.

With a 7-0 win over China on matchday one, Japan set the standard in this group and Moriyasu's men are clear favourites to make the second of two games.

Click here to see a data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this match.

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