Dillan George
Dailysports's expert
On Tuesday, March 25, in the 8th round match of the 2026 World Cup qualification in the AFC zone, Japan will host Saudi Arabia. I suggest betting on goals in this match.
Interesting match facts and head-to-head history
- Japan is the first team in the world to qualify for the World Cup.
- Japan's unbeaten streak lasts 11 matches.
- Saudi Arabia has won only 2 of their last 5 away matches.
- Japan has conceded only 2 goals in 7 matches of the final stage of World Cup qualification.
- In the 3rd round, Japan defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0.
Match preview
For Japan, there is no tournament motivation left in the upcoming qualification games. The "Samurai Blue" have already collected 19 points and secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup. In the remaining three games, Japan needs just 1 point to guarantee first place as well.
In their last game, Japan easily defeated Bahrain 2-0 at home. Before that, the Japanese handled China (3-1) and Indonesia (4-0). The only team that managed to take points from Hajime Moriyasu's team is Australia (1-1).
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia, considered a favorite for direct World Cup qualification after the draw, is now fighting for second place. With 9 points, the "Desert Eagles" are currently in third place, just 1 point behind Australia. However, Indonesia, Bahrain, and China are only 3 points behind Saudi Arabia, putting the "Greens" at risk of not even making it to the qualification playoffs.
During the qualification, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation fired Roberto Mancini as head coach and reinstated Hervé Renard. In the previous round, the "Desert Falcons" secured a hard-fought victory over China (1-0), but before that, they suffered a defeat to Indonesia (0-2) and a 0-0 draw with Australia.
Probable lineups
- Japan: Suzuki; Seko, Itakura, Hiroki Ito; Junya Ito, Endo, Tanaka, Mitoma; Kubo, Kamada; Machino
- Saudi Arabia: Al-Aqidi; Al-Shanqiti, Tambakti, Lajami, Boushal; Al-Juwair, Al-Ghamdi, Yahya, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Salem Al-Dawsari; Al-Buraikan
Prediction for Japan vs Saudi Arabia
Japan is the favorite in the game, despite the lack of tournament motivation. However, Saudi Arabia has no choice but to take risks and try to play offensively. I bet both teams will score in this game.
