Japan VS Mali Match Prediction
2018-03-23
12:20:00
Japan
VS
Mali
Our Prediction Tip
Japan will win this match.
2018-03-2312:20:00 Japan will win this match.
Japan will be facing Mali for the first time in this matchup.
%HEAD-TO-HEAD-STATS-BANNER%Bet365 have the following odds available for this match:
Japan are at 10/11 to win, a draw is at 12/5, and a Mali win is at 13/5.
In the third round of AFC qualification, Japan were able to come through and clinch an automatic berth in Russia for the World Cup this summer. They ended up winning a very tight Group B with 20 points from their ten matches. In the end, they were only one point above a potential playoff, which ended up going to Australia. They only lost twice, but they had real issues scoring goals. Mali, like Japan, made it into the final round of qualification in Africa, but they ended up faltering in Group C by coming in last place. They only picked up four points from the six matches, putting them eight points off a potential place in Russia for winning the group. They did so with no wins.
Over the course of the last year, Japan have played 13 times. They have won six times, drawn three, and lost four times. Two of the losses came against Belgium and Brazil, two of the bigger sides out there currently. A record of two wins, a draw, and three losses in the last six, though, is a bit worrying. Mali's last year has seen them win twice, drawn five times, and lose twice in nine matches. A lopsided defeat to Russia-bound Morocco is included in that.
Under 2.5 goals is at 13/20 via Bet365.
Mali haven't been able to pick up many positive results of late, and that shouldn't bode well for them here. Japan should not be having issues here, but if they do, then alarm bells will start to go off.
Vahid Halilhodzic, after playing an obviously weaker side in the East Asian Championship, has called back in the top guns. Among those are non domestic-based players such as Keisuke Honda, Makoto Hasebe, and Yuto Nagatomo. Injuries are keeping defenders Hiroki Sakai and Wataru Endo as well as key midfielder Shinji Kagawa of Borussia Dortmund out of the team. Forwards Shinji Okazaki, Yoshi Muto, and Takashi Inui have also been left out.
This Japan side is clearly a little bit lower down the pecking order than where they would want to be, and their side is even less scary looking without Kagawa in it. That heaps a whole ton of pressure upon the back of Keisuke Honda. The Pachuca man has been the ultimate utility man for the Blue Samurai down the years, and he has scored 36 goals in 90 caps so far. The rest of the team barely surpasses that total, showing just how important he truly is for them.
Japan have three losses and two wins in their last five matches:
1-4 home loss vs South Korea (East Asian Championship)
2-1 home win vs China (East Asian Championship)
1-0 home win vs North Korea (East Asian Championship)
1-0 loss at Belgium (Friendly)
1-3 home loss vs Brazil (Friendly)
Mohamed Magassouba has largely called in the same team that was involved back in November in the final qualifier against Gabon. It is quite a young and inexperienced side, but they have a ton of potential within it including RB Salzburg man Amadou Haidara among others. Bigger names that have not been called to the roster are striker Moussa Marega and midfielder Yacouba Sylla.
A man that has only had one international cap so far, but will be getting many, many more you would have to assume is midfielder Amadou Haidara. The Salzburg man has been at the forefront of a surprising charge through the Europa League so far. He is being linked with quite a few bigger clubs due to his play in the middle, so look for him to continue to make waves for both club and country.
Mali have three draws and two losses in their last five matches:
0-0 draw at Gabon
0-0 home draw vs Ivory Coast
0-0 home draw vs Morocco
6-0 loss at Morocco
0-1 home loss vs Mauritania (ANC)
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