Four-time runner-ups AFC Futsal Asian Cup Uzbekistan will face the might of three-time Japan in the 19th edition of the competition on Thursday, October 6, 2022, at the Saad Al Abdullah Hall, Sabah Al Salem, Kuwait.
The White Wolves managed to squeeze past hosts Kuwait in a feisty quarter-final clash on Tuesday night, hitting three past Al-Azraq in a packed arena full of vociferous home fans.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Samurai Five advanced to this stage after securing a nail-biting 3-2 win over Indonesia in Tuesday’s second quarter-final fixture.
Kick-off time: 17:00 Kuwaiti Local time
Venue: Saad Al Abdullah Hall, Sabah Al Salem
Kenichiro Kogure’s men staged a strong fightback to secure the ticket to the semi-final of the competition. Japan fell behind Indonesia with Samuel Eko netting the first-period goal before Kanazawa, Mizutani, and goalkeeper Higor Pires scored to put East Asians 3-1 ahead. Dewa Rizki cut the deficit for Japan but it wasn’t enough.
OPTA STATS
- Japan has scored 12 goals so far in the competition and conceded 4 – 9 goals in the group stages and 3 in the knock-out phase.
- 5 representing 41.6 % of Japan’s 12 goals are first-period goals. The rest have all come in the second period.
- The Samurai Five have also conceded 50% of their 4 goals in each period.
- Kazuya Shimizu, Soma Mizutani, and Sora Kanazawa have all contributed 2 goals each for Japan.
- Japan has reached the semi-finals of the competition 14 times in the last 15 editions (since 1999).
- Japan has a 64.3% win record in semi-final games played in the last 15 editions.
- Kazakhstan (1999 & 2000), South Korea (2001), and Iran (2008 & 2010) are the only sides that have prevented Japan from winning semi-final games.
- As a player, Japan coach Kenichiro Kugore scored 4 goals in the semi-finals of the competition – in a 3-2 win over Thailand in a semi-final clash in the 2003 edition. The 42-year-old also scored against Kyrgyzstan in the 2005 semi-final. He was also on target against Iran in a 5-1 in the 2006 edition of the competition. He again got on the score-sheet in a 3-0 victory over Australia in the 2012 edition.
- Japan beat Uzbekistan 4-2 in the 2004 edition
- Japan has scored 41 semi-final goals and conceded 30
- Uzbekistan has reached the semi-finals 9 times
- The White Wolves have fewer victories than success in the semi-finals of the tournament recording a lowly 44.44% wins in the 9 games played.
- Iran (4 times) and Japan (once) have all prevented Uzbekistan from advancing to the final in previous editions.
- Uzbekistan has scored 21 semi-final goals and conceded 39 goals with Iran hammering them 10-0 in the 2014 edition of the competition.
- Uzbekistan has scored 20 goals and conceded just 3 – scored 17 group stage goals.
- Uzbekistan has won all their games in the competition so far (W4 D0 L0).
- The White Wolves have kept 2 clean sheets same as Japan who also boast of 2 clean sheets although the three-time champions have conceded more goals than Uzbekistan.
FORM GUIDE
- Uzbekistan has 4 wins in their last 5 games in all competition (W4 D0 L1)
- Only Iran has beaten the White Wolves in their last 5 games
- Uzbekistan has scored 28 goals and conceded 12
- Kuwait and Turkmenistan failed to score against Uzbekistan
- Japan’s Samurai Five has 3 wins in their last 5 games (W3 D0 L2)
- Brazil and Saudi Arabia have both beaten Japan
- Japan has scored 14 goals and conceded 8 in their last five games
H2H – Uzbekistan vs Japan – AFC Futsal Asian Cup
- 2018 (Group Stage)
Uzbekistan 2-4 Japan
- 2004 (Semi-finals)
Japan 4-2 Uzbekistan
Probable Vs
Japan V vs Uzbekistan: Higor Pires, Kazuya Shimizu, Neto Antonio Hirata, Arthur Oliveira, Soma Mizutani
Uzbekistan V vs Japan: Elibaev Ravshan, Davron Choriev, Mashrab Adilov, Khamroev Ilkhomjon, Nishonov Khusniddin
PREDICTION
Uzbekistan 1-4 Japan
The post 2022 AFC Futsal Asian Cup: Preview – Uzbekistan vs Japan – Form Guides, Statistics, H2H, Probable V, & Prediction as White Wolves face Samurai Five appeared first on Ghana Sports Online.
Source: Sports