Bahrain vs Japan Prediction: A Questionable Back Four Could See The Hosts Get On The Scoreboard

In Wednesday's one of the two final matches of the round of 16, Bahrain will host Japan at the Al Thumama Stadium. Only one spot in the quarterfinals remains, and the question remains: who will emerge victorious?

Let's have a look at the latest AFC Asian Cup predictions between Bahrain vs. Japan, probable lineups, match facts and betting odds for you to consider!

Note: Odds are subject to change at any time!

Bahrain

FIFA Ranking: 86th

Bahrain claimed the top spot in Group E, surpassing expectations as they were initially anticipated to secure the second position, with South Korea considered favorites to finish first. Having secured a place in the knockout stage for the third time in this competition, Bahrain will hope for a favorable outcome in this upcoming clash against Asian giants Japan.

Muharabi Dilmun kicked off the tournament with a morale-crushing defeat to South Korea, losing 3-1. However, they did manage to bounce back in fashionable style as they went on to secure back-to-back wins against Malaysia and Jordan, winning both matches with a 1-0 scoreline.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Lutfalla; Adel, Baqer, Al Hayam, Ali; Al-Shaikh, Al-Wali; Madan, Al-Aswad, Marhoon; Yusuf Helal

Japan

FIFA Ranking: 17th

Japan appeared far fromthe team everyone had anticipated, as total dominance was the expected norm from them in this competition. However, the team led by Wataru Endō surprisingly finished second in Group D with five points to their name, one point adrift of first-placed Iraq, which was sufficient to witness them secure a place in the knockout stages for the ninth consecutive time in this tournament.

The Samurai Blue's kicked off the tournament with a nail-biting 4-2 win over Vietnam. However, they couldn't build up on that win to record their consecutive win in this tournament as they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat against Iraq, which also witnessed their eleven-match winning streak across various competitions come to an end. Seeking redemption to compensate for their poor display, they saw off the threat of Indonesia on matchday three, recording a decisive 3-1 victory.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Suzuki; Sugawara, Itakura, Tomiyasu, H. Ito; Endo, Morita; J. Ito, Kubo, Minamino; Ueda

Match Facts

• Bahrain are currently on a two-match winning streak in this competition.
• Japan have lost one of their last thirteen matches across all competitions.
• Bahrain averages 1 goal per game when playing at home, and Japan averages 3.9 goals per game when playing away.

Head-To-Head

In the past nine encounters, Bahrain has secured victory two times, with one draw, while Japan has emerged victorious six times.

Expert Betting Tips

Bahrain faces a challenging 90 minutes against a team considered favorites to win the tournament's trophy; however, they are determined not to back down without putting up a fight, which could likely see them on the scoreboard.

While there's no value in backing the away side in the full-time market, we anticipate to see goals at both ends of the pitch in this one, considering that they've not impressed when it comes to putting forth a solid defense in their matches, conceding a goal in all three of their group stage matches in the lead-up to this match.

• Both Teams To Score - Yes for 2.36
• Result/Total Goals - Japan & Over 2.5 for 1.80
• 2nd Half (Total Goals) - Over 1.5 for 1.78