The 18-team qualifiers are about to kick off. According to a report by The Guardian, as cited by Japanese media, predictions have been made for the prospects of the group that includes the Chinese national team. Among these, the Japanese team is expected to top the group and advance directly to the World Cup finals, while Saudi Arabia and Australia will compete for second place. Indonesia is predicted to finish fourth, surpassing Bahrain and China.
The 18-team qualifiers are divided into three groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing directly to the World Cup finals, and the third and fourth-placed teams moving on to the next stage of playoffs.
In Group C, which includes the Chinese national team, Japan ranks 18th in the world, Australia is 24th, Saudi Arabia 56th, Bahrain 80th, and China is only 87th. At the bottom is Indonesia at 133rd.
Despite Japanese head coach Hajime Moriyasu’s cautious approach before the tournament, The Guardian believes that the Japanese team will not repeat the tradition of losing their opening match in the final round of the Asian qualifiers, as they have done in the previous two World Cup qualifying campaigns. Although the first match against China may be tough, the Japanese team is expected to comfortably defeat China in the end.
Although Japan, Australia, and Saudi Arabia have been drawn into the same group multiple times during previous World Cup qualifiers, Japan is still expected to finish top of the group. Saudi Arabia, under Roberto Mancini’s management, will compete with Australia for second place.
Indonesia, with several naturalized players, has become one of the fastest-improving teams in Asia recently and is likely to finish fourth, surpassing Bahrain and China, thus advancing to the next stage of the playoffs. This means that according to British media, China will be eliminated at the 18-team qualifier stage.
The Guardian Predicts World Cup Qualifiers: Japan to Top the Group, Saudi Arabia and Australia Compete for Second Place, Indonesia Fourth While China Fails to Reach Playoffs. Author：Sports UEFA.Please indicate the source when reproduced：https://www.sportsuefa.com/football-world/the-guardian-predicts-world-cup-qualifiers-japan-to-top-the-group-saudi-arabia-and-australia-compete-for-second-place-indonesia-fourth-while-china-fails-to-reach-playoffs.html
