AFC World Cup qualifiers, Asian rounds: predictions on September 5 matches, Australia, Japan, Iran and many more on the field.
The third round of World Cup qualifiers in Asia kicks off this Thursday with nine matches scheduled. The top two finishers in each group of six will gain qualification for the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Start with a bang with the heated showdown between Japan and China. The overall record is fairly balanced, with Japan leading 17-15, but in the last twenty years the gap between the two national teams is there for all to see, not surprisingly the Japanese have won 4 of the last 5 previous matches. Japan plays offensive soccer, so much so that 12 of the last 13 games played have ended with the “over 2.5” sign. In attack, CT Moriyasu has plenty of quality options: Minamino, Morita, Kamada Daichi, Maeda, Hatate, Doan, Ueda and Kubo.
The rivalry between Qatar and the UAE dates back to 1972 and is one of the most intense in Asia. The first Group A match will take place at Al Rayyan’s Ahmad bin Ali Stadium and will mark another chapter in their rivalry. With 33 games played between them, Qatar has a slight edge, leading over the UAE 14-10, with nine ties. The reigning Asian champions have grown since the World Cup and start as favorites.
Predictions on the other matches
Indonesia has never made it this far before in World Cup qualifying: reaching the third round was already a great achievement for this national team. Going further will be very complicated: already at home to Saudi Arabia, at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, it will be very complicated to avoid defeat.
It has been ten years since the last time the two teams faced each other in 2014, when Saudi Arabia won 1-0 extending its record to 11 wins from a total of 12 previous matches. Indonesia has never beaten Saudi Arabia, with a goalless draw in an international friendly on Oct. 7, 2011 as the best result.
South Korea starts clearly favored against Palestine, who reached this stage for the first time: this is the first ever confrontation between these two national teams.
Victory within reach against North Korea also for Shomurodov’s Uzbekistan, author of a brilliant and unexpected start to the season with the Roma jersey. Iran’s neo-interventionist Taremi has scored 11 goals in the last two confrontations with Kyrgyzstan: another over 2.5 is highly likely.
The predictions:
Japan-China 1+OVER 2.5
Australia-Bahrain 1+OVER 1.5
South Korea-Palestine 1 + OVER 1.5
Uzbekistan-North Korea 1
Iran-Kyrgyzstan OVER 2.5
Qatar-United Arab Emirates 1X double chance
Saudi Arabia-Indonesia 1
Total odds comparison: 6.15 GOLDBET ; 6.29 SNAI; 6.15 LOTTOMATICA
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