With one win from three matches within the last spherical of Asia’s World Cup preliminaries, Hajime Moriyasu leads Japan into Tuesday’s assembly with Australia realizing his aspect should win to reignite their problem and dampen hypothesis over his future.
The Japanese have certified for each World Cup since their debut in France in 1998, when a crew led by Takeshi Okada was pressured right into a playoff with Iran earlier than confirming their berth of their first-ever finals look.
Sitting in fourth place in Group B with solely the highest two groups assured to advance to Qatar subsequent yr, Japan’s present predicament carries echoes of that fraught marketing campaign.
In October 1997, throughout a swing by central Asia, Shu Kamo was fired following a draw with Kazakhstan and was changed by his assistant, Okada, who finally oversaw an upturn in fortunes that took Japan to France.
The same state of affairs might play out within the ongoing qualifiers, with scrutiny of Moriyasu intensifying after losses to Oman and Saudi Arabia within the Samurai Blue’s opening three video games and a date with the unbeaten Socceroos looming.
“The Japanese little question have all of the strain on them as a result of they’ve solely gained one sport out of three,” Australia coach Graham Arnold stated forward of the assembly at Saitama Stadium.
“Each time we step out on the sphere we anticipate to win the sport … and we are going to do this once more on Tuesday.”
Japan will face an Australia that has gained a file 11 straight matches in qualifying for Qatar 2022 and Moriyasu will once more be with out the skills of Mallorca’s Takefusa Kubo.
The Samurai Blue have struggled in assault, with their solely aim coming through Yuya Osako in final month’s 1-0 win over China. Ought to Japan fail, three factors out of 12 would drive the Japan Soccer Affiliation into a call over Moriyasu’s future.
Australia leads Group B on aim distinction over the Saudis, who host China in Jeddah on Tuesday after Li Tie’s aspect picked up their first win of the marketing campaign in opposition to Vietnam.
The Vietnamese, the one crew but to say some extent, will tackle Oman in Muscat.
The highest two in Group A will face off in Tehran when Iran’s excellent begin will probably be examined by Paulo Bento’s South Korea, who will probably be hoping Son Heung-min can shake off a knock picked up within the win over Syria to begin.
Iran sits on 9 factors and lead the Koreans by two factors, with the remainder of the group trailing by a distance.
United Arab Emirates head coach Bert van Marwijk will meet fellow Dutchman Dick Advocaat as the previous Feyenoord supervisor takes his Iraq aspect to Dubai whereas Syria will tackle Lebanon in Amman.
Solely the highest two finishers in every group will advance routinely to the World Cup finals, with the third-place groups coming into right into a collection of playoffs for a doable fifth Asian berth.
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