Forget about 7-0, the Japanese team does not take the enemy lightly

The reporter reported coldly Despite scoring a record-breaking seven-goal victory just two months ago, Japan coach Mori Hokazu has kept a low profile and composure against the away players. At yesterday's pre-match press conference, Mori stressed that "we have to forget the result, we shouldn't let our guard down, and we still have to play with a 0-0 mentality. The Chinese team has won two consecutive victories and is in good form. We have analysed the latest situation carefully and must approach the game with the mentality of challenging for the three points. Japan's main left winger, Kaoru Mikasa, also said that the Japanese team should not be overconfident because of the 7-0 victory in the first leg, "We must be fully prepared to win by increasing active running and improving the efficiency of shooting in front of goal." ”

The Japanese media paid close attention to the excitement of the match, with a special emphasis on the pre-match press conference, which numbered hundreds of Chinese journalists, with as many as 11 cameras on the scene, and the stadium with a capacity of 60,000 people sold out. The Japanese team also attached great importance to this game, and the pre-match training on the 17th was unusual, with the first 15 minutes of training being closed and the next 40 minutes of training being open. With the exception of the 11 starters against Indonesia and Dairan Maeda, who played half the game, the remaining players were divided into two teams for a 6-on-6 mini-match, with Kenei Kubo as a free man, and Moriyasu was clearly looking at the state of the substitutes and preparing to make some adjustments to the starting 11.

Mainstream Japanese sports media such as Nikkan Sports believe that Moriyasu will make a rotation. In September, the Japanese team defeated the national football team 7-0 at home, and Kenei Kubo, who started the whole game, was a great threat with 1 shot and 2 passes. After arriving in Xiamen, the pre-match training was very active against Kenei Kubo, who had been sitting in Indonesia for 90 minutes, and the possibility of starting was very high. As the most expensive player in the Japanese team (50 million euros), Kubo Kenei has been a home starter and away substitute in the round of 18 so far, but the battle between China and Japan may change this pattern.

Kenei Kubo kept a low profile: "Normally I'll be on the bench, so wait and see, if I can play, I'll do my best." He also commented on the national football team, which has won two consecutive games: "The Chinese team performed differently from the first game, we must score first and make sure not to concede first. The Chinese team has scored first in the last four games, which will make the game more difficult. ”

In addition to Kenei Kubo, the Japanese media pay more attention to Junya Ito, who has been in excellent form recently. In the last 3 matches against the national football team, Jun Ito also handed over 2 goals and 3 assists, and was labeled as the "nemesis of the Chinese team" by the Japanese media. When the home team defeated the national football team 7-0, Junya Ito came off the bench for 27 minutes and handed over 1 goal and 2 assists, Japanese media believe that Junya Ito can also take advantage of the defects on the left side of the national football team to extend the assist in the round of 18 to the fourth game. The Reims winger had one goal and four assists in the previous five games in the round of 18, and had key assists in the previous three away games. His goals and assists for the national team are at home, and this is a good opportunity for him to participate in the goal of the national team away from home.

Jun Ito also analyzed the characteristics of the national football team: "The Chinese team mainly plays long pass counterattacks, and at the same time, the second attack after shooting is very important, and we must pay attention not to let the opponent get the opportunity to counterattack." ”

"Sports News" predicts that Mori Boichi's starting lineup should not change much because it is necessary to run in the defensive end of the B plan combination. Goalkeeper Ayaka Suzuki, defenders Hiroki Machida and Takushi Itakura will continue to start, and Taiki Hashioka, who replaced Akigo Taniguchi, is likely to continue to start after the Indonesian game. The double back is likely to be Hidemasa Morita and Hiroshi Endo, and the main possible change is in the midfield. The wings of Mikasa and Doanritsu, as well as the secondary attackers behind the center, could change. Jun Ito may also replace Kaoru Mikasa on the left, Kenei Kubo is expected to start in place of Daichi Kamada, and center forward Hiroshi Furuhashi may replace Koki Ogawa for a start.

Takumi Minamino, who scored his 24th goal against Indonesia, is among Japan's top 10 all-time scorers and the only active player in the top 10. Takumi Minamino, who scored twice against Indonesia in the first game, is expected to catch up with Yuya Osako (25 goals), Kazuji Kimura (26 goals) or Takuya Takagi (27 goals), and Moriya is expected to give Takumi Minamino enough time to reach his goal.

The last time Japan beat the national football team away from home in China was in the 2008 East Asian Cup in Chongqing (1-0). In the 2015 East Asian Cup, the national football team was forced to draw 1-1 in Wuhan, and although the national football team was defeated 1-0 "away" in September 2021, the game was played in Doha, a neutral place. After the Chinese Football Association returned to the AFC in 1974, Japan won only four away games against the national football team, most recently 16 years ago.