VIETNAM v JAPAN
Asian Cup
Thursday 24th January 2019
Kickoff: 1700hrs
Pick: Vietnam AH+1.75
Bookmaker: Marathonbet
Odds: 1.69 (odds taken at 23:09 GMT, 23 Jan 2019)
With the round of 16 now completed, we enter the quarter-final stages of the Asian Cup and the next preview features Vietnam taking on Japan as the betting tips continue to decide who will take their place in the semi-finals of the competition.
Asian Cup Betting at Marathonbet
Vietnam Prediction
Vietnam progressed through to the round of the last 16 in the Asian Cup courtesy of finishing amongst one of the best third placed trams after the group stages were decided, and they booked their place into these quarter-finals after winning a penalty shoot-out against Jordan after the scores were level at 1-1 after extra-time.
However, it hasn’t been plain sailing for Vietnam as they started their Asian Cup campaign in disastrous fashion, losing both of their opening group matches to Iraq 3-2 and a 2-0 loss to Iran, who, incidentally, both finished in the top two positions of Group D.
Vietnam managed to bounce back with a final group match 2-0 win over bottom nation Yemen which saw them qualify for the round of 16. Although they’ve managed only one win in normal time during this competition, they’ve been beaten by 2 goals or more on just one occasion.
Vietnam have lost just twice in their last 22 matches in all competitions.
Key-Facts – Vietnam v Japan
- Vietnam have been beaten by 2 goals or more just once in the Asian Cup
- Vietnam have lost just 2 of their last 22 matches in all competitions
- Japan have won by a 2-goal margin in just 4 of their last 26 matches
Japan Prediction
Onto Japan, and one of the pre-tournament favourites to win the Asian Cup breezed through the group stages by recording a 100% winning record to top Group F with the maximum haul of nine points, thanks to group wins over Turkmenistan 3-2, Oman 1-0 and Uzbekistan 2-1.
Japan therefore booked their place into the round of 16 with relative ease where they saw off Saudi Arabia 1-0 which saw them qualify for the quarter-finals. However, if Japan do have a slight achilles heel, then that is they tend not to score many goals against the ‘minnows’ that they’re expected to beat by some margin.
In the World Cup, they managed just one win which was a 2-1 win over 10-man Colombia where the Blue Samurai toiled for 87 minutes to eventually sneak over the line, but they’ve managed to beat a team by a 2-goal margin in just 4 of their last 26 matches in all competitions.
Betting Tips Verdict
Vietnam proved they’re no pushovers by beating Jordan in the round of 16, albeit via a penalty shoot-out but I believe they can keep things tight and frustrate a Japanese team who undoubtedly possess great technical ability but don’t always seem to hit the back of the net as regularly as they should.
