The following is a match centre with betting tips for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Group H fixture between Japan and Senegal. The game kicks off on the 25th of June at 1:00 AM AEST. It will be broadcast live by SBS, who now have the rights to all remaining group stage matches.
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Japan
- FIFA World Rank: 61
- Elo Rating: 46
- Qualifying: Winner of Group B with a 6-2-2 record in the AFC Third Round.
Squad:
- Coach: Akira Nishino
- Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Metz), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka), Kosuke Nakamura (Kashiwa Reysol)
- Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (Galatasaray), Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Reds), Wataru Endo (Urawa Reds), Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Hiroki Sakai (Marseille), Gotoku Sakai (Hamburg), Gen Shoji (Kashima Antlers), Naomichi Ueda (Kashima Antlers)
- Midfielders: Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt), Keisuke Honda (Pachuca), Takashi Inui (Eibar), Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka), Genki Haraguchi (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Takashi Usami (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Gaku Shibasaki (Getafe), Ryot
- Forwards: Shinji Okazaki (Leicester), Yuya Osako (Werder Bremen), Yoshinori Muto (Mainz)
Recent results:
- Colombia 1 – 2 Japan
19/06/2018
FIFA World Cup, played in Russia - Japan 4 – 2 Paraguay
12/06/2018
Friendly, played in Austria - Switzerland 2 – 0 Japan
08/06/2018
Friendly, played in Switzerland - Japan 0 – 2 Ghana
30/05/2018
Friendly, played in Japan - Ukraine 2 – 1 Japan
27/03/2018
Friendly, played in Belgium - Japan 1 – 1 Mali
23/03/2018
Friendly, played in Belgium - Japan 1 – 4 South Korea
16/12/2017
EAFF Championship, played in Japan - Japan 2 – 1 China
12/12/2017
EAFF Championship, played in Japan - Japan 1 – 0 Korea DPR
09/12/2017
EAFF Championship, played in Japan - Belgium 1 – 0 Japan
14/11/2017
Friendly, played in Belgium - Japan 1 – 3 Brazil
10/11/2017
Friendly, played in France - Japan 3 – 3 Haiti
10/10/2017
Friendly, played in Japan
Statistics: (last four years):
- H2H Record: 29-11-13
- O/U record
- O/U 0.5 record: 52-1
- O/U 1.5 record: 47-6
- O/U 2.5 record: 30-23
- O/U 3.5 record: 17-36
- O/U 4.5 record: 10-43
- O/U 5.5 record: 6-47
- Wins
- Total wins: 29
- Won by 1 goal: 9
- Won by 2 goals: 7
- Won by 3 goals: 3
- Won by 4 goals: 5
- Won by 5 goals: 3
- Won by 5+ goals: 2
- Won to nil 20
- Losses
- Total losses: 13
- Lost by 1 goal: 6
- Lost by 2 goals: 4
- Lost by 3 goals: 2
- Lost by 4 goals: 1
- Lost by 5 goals: 0
- Lost by 5+ goals: 0
- Lost to nil 6
- Clean Sheets and BTTS
- Total Games: 53
- Clean Sheets: 21
- Held Scoreless: 7
- Both Teams Scored: 26
Senegal
- FIFA World Rank: 27
- Elo Rating: 35
- Qualifying: Won Group D with a 4-2-0 record in the CAF Third Round.
Squad:
- Coach: Aliou Cissé
- Goalkeepers: Khadim Ndiaye (Horoya AC), Abdoulaye Diallo (Rennes), Alfred Gomis (Torino)
- Defenders: Kara Mbodji (Anderlecht), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Moussa Wague (Eupen), Saliou Ciss (Angers), Youssouf Sabaly (Bordeaux), Lamine Gassama (Alanyaspor), Armand Traore (Nottingham Forest), Salif Sane (Hannover 96)
- Midfielders: Pape Alioune Ndiaye (Stoke), Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Cheikhou Kouyate (West Ham), Cheikh N'Doye (Birmingham)
- Forwards: Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Diao Balde Keita (Monaco), Ismaila Sarr (Rennes), Diafra Sakho (Rennes), Moussa Konate (Amiens), Mame Biram Diouf (Stoke), Mbaye Niang (AC Milan)
Recent results:
- Poland 1 – 2 Senegal
19/06/2018
FIFA World Cup, played in Russia - South Korea 0 – 2 Senegal
11/06/2018
Friendly, played in Austria - Croatia 2 – 1 Senegal
08/06/2018
Friendly, played in Croatia - Luxembourg 0 – 0 Senegal
31/05/2018
Friendly, played in Luxembourg - Bosnia-Herzegovina 0 – 0 Senegal
27/03/2018
Friendly, played in France - Senegal 1 – 1 Uzbekistan
23/03/2018
Friendly, played in Morocco - Senegal 2 – 1 South Africa
14/11/2017
WC qualifiers, played in Senegal - South Africa 0 – 2 Senegal
10/11/2017
WC qualifiers, played in South Africa - Cape Verde 0 – 2 Senegal
07/10/2017
WC qualifiers, played in Cape Verde - Burkina Faso 2 – 2 Senegal
05/09/2017
WC qualifiers, played in Burkina Faso - Senegal 0 – 0 Burkina Faso
02/09/2017
WC qualifiers, played in Senegal - Senegal 3 – 0 Equatorial Guinea
10/06/2017
African Cup of Nations qualification, played in Senegal
Statistics: (last four years):
- H2H Record: 29-13-5
- O/U record
- O/U 0.5 record: 41-6
- O/U 1.5 record: 36-11
- O/U 2.5 record: 17-30
- O/U 3.5 record: 7-40
- O/U 4.5 record: 1-46
- O/U 5.5 record: 1-46
- Wins
- Total wins: 29
- Won by 1 goal: 8
- Won by 2 goals: 17
- Won by 3 goals: 4
- Won by 4 goals: 0
- Won by 5 goals: 0
- Won by 5+ goals: 0
- Won to nil 19
- Losses
- Total losses: 5
- Lost by 1 goal: 4
- Lost by 2 goals: 1
- Lost by 3 goals: 0
- Lost by 4 goals: 0
- Lost by 5 goals: 0
- Lost by 5+ goals: 0
- Lost to nil 4
- Clean Sheets and BTTS
- Total Games: 47
- Clean Sheets: 25
- Held Scoreless: 10
- Both Teams Scored: 18
Commentary
Japan commenced their campaign with a shock 2-1 win over Colombia, who had a man sent off and conceded a penalty in the 3rd minute. The Samurai Blue arguably should have added further goals before conceding a late first half goal from a free kick. They then sealed the deserved win against a tiring Colombia with a 73rd minute goal. Under coach Akira Nishino, who only took over in April, Japan have begun to find their feet. They lost their first two friendlies 2-0 but beat Paraguay 4-2 in their final warm-up game before upsetting Colombia. It was the first time an Asian side has ever beaten a South American opponent at the World Cup. No Asian nation has ever won both of their opening two games at a World Cup tournament before, so Japan will make more history if they win this fixture. They have won two of their three previous World Cup games against African opponents, however they did lose the most recent one 1-2 to Ivory Coast in 2014.
Senegal opened their campaign with a surprise win as well, beating Poland 2-1. They were quarter-finalists in their only previous World Cup appearance in 2002, and are on track to repeat a visit to the knockout stages following their win and Colombia’s defeat to Japan. There was an element of good fortune in their two goals against Poland, but to their credit Senegal took advantage of Poland’s mistakes. They were certainly the better of the two teams in the first half and could have had an even bigger advantage had they taken more of their chances. Senegal also managed to nullify the threat of Poland’s star striker Robert Lewandowski.
Betting
bet365 odds (subject to change):
Compare the latest bookmaker odds for Japan vs. Senegal
Both sides were expected to lose their opening clashes yet now can virtually assure their place in the Round of 16 if they can win this clash. On paper this could be set for a dour draw, given both sides will be content with a point, but this group has already shown that you should expect the unexpected. Senegal have only lost 1 of their previous 12 fixtures and with a stronger squad on paper, I expect them to get at least a point out of this. Some interesting stats for Senegal are over the last four years 19 of their 29 wins were to nil and 17 were by 2 goals, so if they do win the 2-0 scoreline looks the most likely. Senegal have kept 7 clean sheets in their last 12 fixtures and 3 of their last 5 wins were by 2-0 scorelines. Japan’s last 2 defeats were both by 2-0 scorelines.
Betting tip: for the conservatively minded, back Senegal +0.5 in the Asian handicap at 1.36 (Betfair). For those looking for more risk I recommend the Japan 0-2 Senegal correct score at 12.00 (Betfair).
Notes
- FIFA World rankings are from the 7th of June and sourced from https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/ranking-table/men/index.html
- The World Football Elo Ratings are from the 11th of June and are based on the Elo rating system, developed by Dr. Arpad Elo. This system is used by the international chess federation to rate chess players and is considered by many to be a superior rating tool to the one used by FIFA. The ratings have been sourced from https://www.eloratings.net/.
- Squad lists sourced from http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12098/11374464/every-world-cup-squad-listed-argentina-brazil-russia-and-more