JAKARTA - Spain and Japan made a better start compared to the previous World Cup they participated in. However, supporters are still not sure if their team will stay in Qatar after Thursday.
Spain is in a much stronger position at the top of one of the toughest groups of the 2022 World Cup after slaughtering Costa Rica 7-0 and drawing 1-1 against Germany.
Luis Enrique's team drew enough at Khalifa International Stadium to secure a place of the last 16. But if they win, Spain can walk to the last 16 while holding the status of group winners.
Japan itself started this tournament very impressively after turning to overthrow the four-time world champion, Germany, 2-1.
Japan also almost beat or picked up at least one point when it lost 0-1 to Costa Rica who stole the win with only a shot on target in this tournament.
But the Blue Samurai still made it to the last 16 for the fourth time with a draw against Spain, on the condition that Germany beat Los Ticos.
Japanese coach Hajime Moriyasu knows what he wants from his team but doesn't seem to be too sure if they can afford it.
"We are eyeing a win, that's all we need to think about," he said after Japan lost to Costa Rica.
"BEATing Germany doesn't mean we can beat Spain, both teams have won the World Cup and we have had great respect for them, but we managed to beat Germany."
Moriyasu may overhaul his team's total after his conservative game plans backfired against Costa Rica.
Every World Cup group match that is seen together trying to find safety always evokes people's memories to "Aib Gijon" 40 years ago in Spain.
To that end, FIFA imposed the same match time for the final group stage game to ensure no one was eye-playing or no one repeated the 'elephant football' between West Germany and Austria at the 1982 World Cup when Austria gave in to Germany so that both teams qualified at the expense of Algeria.
Spain may be happy to see Germany not qualify for the last 16 because at least one of the potential major obstacles is no longer in the knockout round. But coach Luis Enrique is determined to fight as hard as he can to beat Japan.
"We will use full force to hunt for the victory that secures the top of the group standings," Enrique said.
Predictions of the first eleven players
Japan (4-2-3-1): Suichi Gonda; Miki Yamane, Ko Itakura, Maya Yoshida, Yuto Nagatomo; Ao Tanaka, Hidemasa Morita; Ritsu Doan, Daichi Kamada, Takefusa Kubo; Daizen Maeda.
Spain (4-3-3): Unai Simon; Dani Carvajal, Pau Torres, Aymeric Laporte, Jordi Alba; Koke, Rodri, Pedri; Ferran Torres, Alvaro Morata, Dani Olmo.
Important statistics of both teams
Prior to this match, both teams had won 1-0 in a friendly in 2001.
Spain won the 2010 World Cup, while Japan never surpassed the last 16 which they have achieved three times.
Spain will advance to the next round if they draw and win while winning Group E.
Japan, which ranks second, is in danger of being thrown early from this tournament unless it can beat Spain.
So far Spain is the top scorer team in the 2022 World Cup with eight goals, seven of which were created when they rolled over Costa Rica in the first match.
From the Japanese squad, there are Eiji Kawashima and Yuto Nagatomo who are both appearing in their fourth World Cup, while two other players, Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi and Seigo Narazaki, are still four years old.
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