GERMANY – JAPAN | Wednesday 2pm
Maybe it won’t be one of the so-called favourites, because of that ‘work in progress’ sign that new head coach Hansi Flick hung outside the training centre as soon as he was appointed Joachim Low’s successor. But a selection like Germany can never be underestimated at a World Cup, and history is there to teach us that. You always have to reckon with the indestructible Germans sooner or later: it is rare that the Mannschaft has completely flopped at such an event. It happened four years ago in Russia, when as defending champion they resoundingly failed to make it past the group stage. That, however, was a worn-out cycle and the disappointing European Championship a year and a half ago proved it too: the elimination in the round of 16 against England convinced the previous coach to leave after more than a decade of experience.
Flick won everything with Bayern Munich in 2020 but has not yet shown great things with the German national team. In the last Nations League, for example, he limited himself to winning one match out of six, drawing four and losing one. His only satisfactions came in the qualifying round for Qatar 2022, which he won almost with a full score, but against opponents who were well within his reach. The most recent friendly, played against lowly Oman, ended ‘only’ 1-0: Fullkrug, Werder Bremen’s striker, scored the decisive goal, but Neuer and his teammates did not enchant.
In Group E, they should have no problem passing the round. Yes, there is Luis Enrique’s Spain, with whom they will probably compete for first place. The other two teams, however, do not particularly inspire fear. One of these is Japan, with whom Germany will make their debut at the Khalifa International Stadium. Hajime Moriyasu’s men, after beating the USA and drawing with Ecuador in September, lost 2-1 to Canada last week, a defeat that is worrying in view of the opener, since it came against an opponent with less international experience than the Japanese.
Germany-Japan: the latest line-up news
Moriyasu, Japan’s head coach
Flick’s doubts revolve around Muller and Rudiger. The Bayern Munich striker and the Real Madrid defender have just recovered from injury and it is likely that the coach will decide whether to field them from the 1′ only a few minutes before the game. Should Muller make it, he will lead the attack in the 4-2-3-1: in the three-quarter, Hofmann could take the place of Sané, who is not at his best. Having to do without the injured Reus, forced once again to miss the World Cup, he will rely on the class of 2003 Musiala, one of Bayern Munich’s most in-form players.
Japan had to ‘send’ Nakayama home because of an Achilles tendon problem that prevented him from taking part in the expedition. In his place, the coach has called up Machino. In attack, the name of former Liverpool player Minamino stands out, who should join Asano and Ito in the trident with which the Blue Samurai will face Germany. At the back he will rely on the experience of former Inter player Nagatomo and two other old Serie A acquaintances, Tomiyasu and Yoshida.
The prediction
Flick will not take the risk of underestimating the task, considering that victory is a must if his Germany team is to finish ahead of Spain in the group. On the other side, he will find a Japan side that will do all they can to give him a run for his money, but on the whole the Japanese look less competitive than in last year’s edition, despite the fact that many of the players called up by Moriyasu play in the Bundesliga. We bet on a German success, which should come on time. At least three goals in total.
Germany vs. Japan line-ups
- GERMANY (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kehrer, Sule, Rudiger, Raum; Kimmich, Gundogan; Hofmann, Musiala, Gnabry; Muller.
- JAPAN (4-3-3): Gonda; Sakai, Tomiyasu, Yoshida, Nagatomo; Shibasaki, Endo, Kamada; Ito, Asano, Minamino.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1
