Japan VS Chile Match Prediction
2019-06-17
23:00:00
Japan
VS
Chile
Our Prediction Tip
Chile will win this match.
2019-06-1723:00:00 Chile will win this match.
Chile are still looking for their first ever goal against Japan, after a goalless draw and a 4-0 defeat in their only two previous meetings – both of which were friendlies. Shinji Okazaki scored twice in the most recent meeting, in 2009, before Yuki Abe and Keisuke Honda added to the score.
All things being equal, Chile’s recent loss of form would make it difficult to back them despite going into this tournament as defending champions.
But this is not a full-strength Japanese side they will be playing – with one eye on the Tokyo Olympic, Japan have opted for a youthful set-up and getting out of the group stage seems unlikely.
Chile have experience in abundance by contrast, with players like Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez having plenty to prove given how their domestic seasons ended too.
Chile won the last two tournaments by being hard to beat, and that same philosophy got them to the Confederations Cup final too.
Since then, however, form has dipped concerningly and Chile have looked a shadow of their former selves in more recent games – their World Cup qualification failure still hanging over them.
Chile may not go far in this tournament either, particularly if their current form continues, but against this youthful Japanese side, they will at least expect to start with a win.
Chile are odds-on favourites to beat youthful Japan and can be backed at a best price of 4/9 to win with Betway.
Defensively they have been suspect in the last 18 months or so, however, and both teams to score could be worth backing at 13/8 with 888sport.
A Chile win and BTTS is priced at 7/2 with 888sport; over 2.5 goals returns 5/4 with Ladbrokes.
Alexis Sanchez has been passed fit and is a best price of 9/5 with Betfair and Paddy Power to score at any time. Eduardo Vargas is 13/8 with both, meanwhile, as he look to move joint-second in the all-time Chilean goalscorers chart.
Japan’s youthful side are playing for experience at this tournament – something the defending champions have in abundance. Experience should overcome youth in this match.
Only seven players in the Japan squad for this tournament have been capped before, with a strong focus on blooding new talent ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Cup. Teenager Takefusa Kubo has one cap but could be the central focal point of this team, with more interest in the 18-year-old FC Tokyo midfielder.
Shinji Okazaki – The most experienced player in the squad, two of his 50 international goals came against Chile when they last met a decade ago.
Takefusa Kubo – Attracting attention from Europe now he has turned 18, having previously spent time with Barcelona’s academy.
Takehiro Tomiyasu – Of the young faces in the squad, the 20-year-old is one of the more experienced with 12 caps and will be at the heart of this new Japanese defence.
Japan suffered a surprise 3-1 defeat in the final of the AFC Asian Cup to Qatar in February – Takumi Minamino scoring their goal – before a 1-0 defeat to Colombia next up. They have not conceded a goal since, however – beating Bolivia 1-0 thanks to Shoya Nakajima, drawing 0-0 with Trinidad & Tobago and then beating El Salvador 2-0 – Kensuke Nagai scoring both goals.
In stark contrast to Japan, Chile have a squad packed with experience. Alexis Sanchez has been passed fit after the ankle injury that dogged his season with Manchester United – he is one of six players with 100+ caps in the current Chile squad. Eugenio Mena is the most notable absentee.
Alexis Sanchez – The Manchester United striker has plenty of experience and plenty to prove – he has 41 goals in 124 appearances for Chile.
Eduardo Vargas – The UANL striker has scored 36 times in 83 appearances for the national team following his strike against Haiti – one more puts him level with Marcelo Salas.
Arturo Vidal – Playing just behind the striker, the Barcelona man will be central to Chile’s attacking threat as he bids to add to 26 goals in 108 appearances.
Chile got back to winning ways in their warm-up match against Haiti, but they were again unconvincing as Eduardo Vargas and Jose Pedro Fuenzalida helped them come from 1-0 down to win 2-1. It followed a 3-1 defeat to Mexico and 1-1 draw with the USA in March – Nicolas Castillo scored in the first and Oscar Opazo netted an equaliser in the second.
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