Japan - New Zealand: Who can win the Kirin Cup final?
Japan
New Zealand
In the Kirin Cup final, we have a clash between Japan and New Zealand, which will take place on Monday, October 5, kicking off at 12:30 CET, and I am backing a bet for this encounter.
Japan - New Zealand: Match preview
Japan qualified for the 2026 World Cup and once again reached the playoffs. However, the team stumbled in the first round of the playoffs again. They lost 1:2 to Brazil in the round of 32. After that, the team played two friendly matches and won both. First, they beat Uruguay 3:1, and then won 2:1. The Samurai then played their first Kirin Cup match, facing Ecuador in the semi-final. The game was a tense affair and was decided only by a penalty shootout, where Japan eventually proved stronger and defeated their opponents 4:3.
New Zealand also qualified for the 2026 World Cup. The team were drawn in the same group as Iran, Egypt and Belgium. Having picked up just one point, that was not enough to reach the playoffs, and their tournament ended there. New Zealand then also played two friendly matches, first drawing with Palestine before beating China 3:0. As for the Kirin Cup, the New Zealanders also settled their semi-final via a penalty shootout, overcoming Panama 5:3.
Match facts and H2H
- Japan have won their last three matches.
- New Zealand are unbeaten in their last three matches.
- New Zealand have scored in six consecutive matches.
- The last meeting between these teams took place in 2017, when Japan won 2:1.
Probable lineups
- Japan: Suzuki, Itō, Itakura, Seko, Tanaka, Sano, Kubo, Nakamura, Dōan, Suzuki, Tanimura
- New Zealand: Paulsen, Boxall, Elliot, Bindon, Rufer, Old, Stamenić, Rogerson, Just, Waine, Wood
Prediction
Both teams head into this match in very good form, and I think we are in for an exciting encounter. I am backing both teams to score in this game.
