Japan vs Bahrain

Saitama Stadium forms the backdrop for a ‘David vs Goliath’ FIFA World Cup qualifier between Japan and Bahrain.

Japan’s quest to qualify for the eighth consecutive World Cup finals is progressing smoothly, as they head into round seven nine points clear of second-placed Australia in qualifying Group C. As the only unbeaten team in this section (W5, D1), Hajime Moriyasu’s men have been a formidable force thus far, netting a jaw-dropping 22 goals in the ongoing qualifying campaign while only conceding two in return. Therefore, it’s barely surprising that each win came via a multi-goal margin, including a 5-0 thrashing of Bahrain in September’s reverse fixture. Another thumping win is a distinct possibility, as they had recorded back-to-back 5-0 and 7-0 home victories before being held by Australia last time out (1-1).

In the meantime, Bahrain will be out to defy the odds and maintain their hopes of securing a top-two finish alive. Though they’ve only won once in the first six rounds (D3, L2), the visitors trail second-place Australia by a single point pre-round. However, they head into proceedings amid a five-game winless World Cup qualifying run, including a scoreless draw in Saudi Arabia in their last away match. Furthermore, they’ve lost all four visits to Japan in the 21st century, but it’s worth noting that three defeats yielded a narrow 1-0 scoreline, suggesting they could avoid another catastrophe.