Japan vs Spain, Olympics Football 2024, Today Match Prediction

Japan vs Spain Match Prediction & Analysis

In one of the most anticipated clashes of the tournament, Japan will face Spain in Quarter-final 2 at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon. This marks the fourth meeting between the teams at the U23 level and the second encounter in the Olympics, with Japan claiming victory in their 2012 London Olympics matchup.

The Blue Samurai enter the quarterfinals undefeated, having secured top spot in their group and keeping a clean sheet in all their matches. They are the only team to achieve this feat, with the host nation being the other team to have not conceded a goal so far. La Roja, on the other hand, qualified for the quarterfinals as runners-up in their group, falling short to Egypt (2-1) in their final group stage match.

The winner of this high-stakes encounter will progress to face the victor of the France vs. Argentina clash in the first semifinal on August 5th at 9:30 PM IST.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Japan Preview

The Blue Samurai have had contrasting returns to the matches after the dream start they had against Paraguay, where they won 5-0. In the next two matches, the margin of the victory was a lone goal. Both Israel and Mali made them work hard for their goals, and both goals came late, in the 82nd and 91st minutes of the game, respectively. 

That said, they went into their final match against Israel resting some key players like captain Joel Fujita, Koki Saito, and Mao Hosoya. All three have played a major role in the team’s success in the competition. Mao Hasoya played the winning hand against Israel, as he netted the late winner coming off the bench. And he played a key role in Japan’s win against Mali with four key passes, including the one that resulted in the goal. 

However, when it comes to goals, three players—Shota Fujio, Shunsuke Mito, and Rihito Yamamoto—have two goals each, while Koki Saito (2 assists) has the most assists for a Japanese player in the competition. But, against Spain, it will be all about the midfield battle, with Rihito Yamamoto and  Joel Fujita expected to provide the assistance and support required for the forwards upfront and defence at the back to flourish. 

Given the impact Hosoya has had in the last two games, Japanese coach Oiwa might be tempted to play the player in the role of an attacking midfielder or number 10 against Spain, with Shota Fujio keeping his place as the target man. If that's the case, then Ryotaro Araki will make way for Hosoya. 

Japan Probable Starting XI - Kokubo(Goalkeeper); Nishio, Suzuki, Kimura, Uchino (Defenders); Yamamoto, Kawasaki,Yamada (Midfielders); Hosoya, Sato, Fujio (Forwards) 

Spain Preview

Having already qualified for the quarterfinals,  La Roja went into their last match against Egypt with a deflated side, similar to what Japan did against Israel. Unfortunately for Santi Denia, the result didn't go his way, and they squandered the opportunity to top the group and, in the process, ended up on the tougher side of the draw, consisting of favourites: Japan, France, and Argentina. 

Nevertheless Spain has six goals and four assists in the competition, all coming from different players. This just demonstrates how the side is not dependent on one or two individuals. However, Sergio Gomez has been the standout performer among the players, with 8 vital passes and a goal to his name. 

From a tactical standpoint, the Spanish defenders, particularly full backs Miranda and Pubill, must be cautious about overcommitting themselves forward, as the Japanese are fully equipped in terms of speed for counterattacks, particularly with a player as dangerous as Koki Saito in their ranks. As far as changes are concerned, we expect the 11 that started against the Dominican Republic to start on Friday. 

Spain Probable Starting XI - Tenas(Goalkeeper); Sanchez, Cubarsi, Garcia, Miranda(Defenders); Lopez, Barrios, Baena(Midfielders); Oroz, Ruiz, Gomez(Forwards) 

JAPAN vs SPAIN
Winning Prediction

Japan is making their twelfth appearance in the competition but has yet to clinch a podium finish. Their best result is a fourth-place finish, achieved twice in 2012 and 2020. Ironically, it was Spain who dashed their hopes of reaching the finals of their home Olympics in 2020, securing a 2-1 victory. While this Spanish team might not match the prowess of their predecessors, they remain a formidable opponent.

Despite an unbeaten streak of seven games, including a 1-1 draw against France, Japan are underdogs with odds of 3.90 compared to Spain's 2.00. An xG of 2/2.5 is anticipated for this high-stakes clash. Our prediction: a closely contested match that could be decided by penalties or a narrow Spanish win in regular time.

Spain U-23 to win (1-2)

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