Japan will embark on a journey to Saudi Arabia for an AFC World Cup qualifier at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Thursday night to maintain their remarkable winning streak that has persisted since the Asian Cup.

The Samurai Blue have a perfect record in the section, while the Green Falcons are unassailable in Group C of the third round, following a productive September schedule.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

Roberto Mancini, a former Inter Milan and Manchester City manager is currently in command of Saudi Arabia, which has begun the third round of World Cup qualifying positively. Mancini previously led Italy to continental triumph at Euro 2020 during a five-year tenure in control of the European powerhouses.

The Green Falcons' initial round of fixtures yielded a less favorable outcome, as Group C rivals Indonesia gave them a less-than-ideal share of the spoils. However, five days later, they secured their first section win by defeating China 2-1 in Dalian.

Even though Al-Hilal midfielder Mohamed Kanno was issued a straight red card within the first 19 minutes of the match, Saudi Arabia secured a victory. After the half-time break, center-back Hasan Kadesh, who had never previously scored on the international stage, scored two goals, ensuring the maximum number of points for the visitors.

The Green Falcons are currently in the second position in the Group C standings, two points behind the faultless leaders Japan and a single point clear of third-placed Bahrain, having collected a respectable aggregate of four points from their opening two third-round fixtures.

Saudi Arabia has a significant recent history of success in the World Cup, defeating the eventual champions, Argentina, during a group-stage match in November 2022. Salem Al-Dawsari and Saleh Al-Shehri scored the most memorable goals of their careers, solidifying their bid to reach the biggest stage of football for the third time.

Japan is one of three nations in the third round of AFC World Cup qualifying to maintain their 100% record after the first two rounds of fixtures, alongside Group A pacesetters Uzbekistan and Iran. In September, the visiting team defeated both China and Bahrain with ease.

Samurai Blue was at their most ruthless just five days later, as they defeated Bahrain 5-0, thanks to goals from Ayase Ueda, Hidemasa Morita and substitute Koki Ogawa, following the 7-0 thrashing of China on September 5 by former Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino.

Japan has earned a maximum of six points from their opening brace of third-round contests, scoring 12 goals. As a result, they are the deserving leaders of a six-team Group C. The top two teams in the section will automatically secure a position at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Hajime Moriyasu, the 56-year-old head coach of Samurai Blue, is confident in leading his team out of a 2022 World Cup group that includes Germany, Spain, and Costa Rica. During his 85th game on Thursday night, Moriyasu is seeking his 60th victory as head coach.

Japan will be attempting to replicate their most recent encounter with Saudi Arabia in February 2022, when they secured a two-goal victory over the Green Falcons with goals from Monaco's Minamino and Reims' Junya Ito during the final phases of qualification for the 2022 World Cup.

Saudi Arabia x Japan Team News

Kanno will be unable to participate in the match in Jeddah on Thursday night after experiencing red during the initial phases of the victory over China last month.

Consequently, Abdulelah Al Malki will need a new companion in the Green Falcons' engine room. Musab Al-Juwayr is a probable candidate for the position.

Although Ali Lajami scored an own goal against China in September, he is expected to remain in the back three of the hosts, alongside Kadesh and Hassan Tambakti.

Daichi Kamada, who has had a challenging start to his career in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, will seek respite in the international arena with Japan this month.

Sporting Lisbon's Morita, who scored a superb brace during the rout of Bahrain, should remain in midfield, partnering Liverpool's Wataru Endo.

Our Predictions

Japan to win @ 1.62 on Sky247.ng

In Jeddah on Thursday night, we anticipate a closely contested match between Saudi Arabia and Japan, as both teams have secured two victories in their most recent four meetings.

That being said, Samurai Blue's winning streak since their Asian Cup disappointment is challenging to disregard, which is why we are supporting the visitors to secure three points in this match.

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