Japan vs Myanmar Prediction: Japan will not take Myanmar lightly

Japan will welcome Myanmar at Panasonic Stadium Suita in Game Week 1 of the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. Japan is starting their World Cup journey while Myanmar have played the first round to come here. Japan scored 10 goals in world cup qualifiers the last time they met Myanmar. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

It has been almost a year since Japan made a strong impression at the 2022 World Cup by advancing from a group that included Spain and Germany. Unfortunately, they were eliminated in the last 16 by Croatia in a penalty shoot-out. However, since then, they have made progress by winning six out of eight friendly matches, including a victory against Germany. Notably, they scored four goals against Peru, Turkey, and Canada. Their coach, Hajime Moriyasu, will now focus on upcoming competitive matches, including the World Cup qualifiers and the Asian Cup in January. Moriyasu will need to make significant changes to the starting lineup of Japan, as three of the previous starting players are not included in the current squad. One option could be to bring in Shogo Taniguchi as a centre-back, while Takumi Minamino might be chosen to play on the left flank. Takuma Asano is likely to start in the attack, while the rest of the team that won against Tunisia could remain the same. 

The possible starting lineup for Japan is Suzuki in goal, Sugawara, Tomiyasu, Taniguchi and Nakayama in defence, Endo and Morita in midfield, Ito, Kubo and Minamino on the wings, and Asano in attack.

On the other hand, Myanmar has already achieved their goal of reaching the group phase by defeating Macau. However, it is important to note that their unbeaten streak of five games is against weaker opponents, as they struggled against stronger teams in the past. Thus, they face a tough challenge against Japan on Thursday. Feichtenbeiner might opt for the same starting lineup that was used in Myanmar's 5-1 victory over Macau on October 12. Aung Kaung Mann scored as a substitute in that game, while Than Paing, a central forward, might keep his position in the frontline. 

For Myanmar, the expected starting lineup is Naing in goal, Win, Lin, Kyaw, and Soe in defence, Naing, Oo, and Aung in midfield, and Thu, Paing, and Lwin in attack. 

Although Japan will not underestimate any team as they aim to qualify for the 2026 Finals, this match can be considered an easier challenge for them. It is anticipated that the game will follow a predictable 90 minutes with many players given the opportunity to showcase their skills and gain control of the group. Expect a high scoring game with only Japan being on the scoresheet.