Japan will be looking to record a third successive win in World Cup qualifying when they face North Korea on Thursday.
Although North Korea head into this contest as the clear underdogs, they sit in second position in Group B ahead of reaching the halfway point of the second round.
Match preview
© Reuters
Japan went into the recent Asian Cup with high hopes of winning the competition, attempting to end a 12-year wait since their last success, but a disappointing quarter-final exit soon followed.
A group-stage defeat to Iraq indicated that the Samurai Blue may not necessarily be firing on all cylinders, or the fact that they conceded three goals in games against Vietnam and Indonesia.
In the last eight, they faced an impressive Iran side who managed to overturn a first-half deficit courtesy of a last-gasp penalty, ending the hopes of Hajime Moriyasu's side.
On a plus note, they are able to quickly turn their focus back to AFC World Cup qualifying action, where Japan already have a stranglehold of Group B.
Successive 5-0 victories have been recorded over Myanmar and Syria, and overcoming North Korea on Thursday would effectively put Japan on the brink of advancing to the next stage.
Having spent so long in the international wilderness, there was a curiosity as to how North Korea would perform when participating at this stage.
The 1-0 defeat to Syria was a disappointment, albeit not a complete surprise, but bouncing back with a 6-1 triumph in Myanmar has kick-started their efforts to join Japan in the next phase.
Sin Yong-nam will certainly not be getting carried away, particularly when their next two fixtures are a double-header against Japan with a quick turnaround.
Nevertheless, they will relish the opportunity to renew acquaintances with opponents that they last faced in 2017, with Japan running out 1-0 winners on that occasion.
Team News
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Of the players who started the Asian Cup quarter-final, only Takehiro Tomiyasu is missing for Japan, with Koki Machida potentially being included in defence as his replacement.
Takumi Minamino will be considered for a recall on the left flank, while Feyenoord forward Ayase Ueda should lead the line.
Although further changes could be made, Moriyasu may prefer to name his strongest XI ahead of possibly rotating for the reverse fixture on March 26.
Meanwhile, Sin is able to select the same players that started North Korea's 6-1 win in Myanmar, so it would come as little surprise if he stuck with the same team.
Jong Il-gwan scored a hat-trick on that occasion, taking him to 29 international goals, but North Korea will hope that frontline striker Han Kwang-song can add to his two strikes from 12 games.
Japan possible starting lineup:
Suzuki; Maikuma, Machida, Ikatura, Ito; Endo, Morita; Doan, Kubo, Maeda; Ueda
North Korea possible starting lineup:
Kang; O. Choe, Y. Kim, Jang, J. Choe; K. Kim, Ri, J-S Choe; Paek, Hang, Jong
We say: Japan 3-0 North Korea
North Korea will be motivated to upset the odds here, aware of how all but a few people will expect this group to be a foregone conclusion for Japan. We expect it to be just that for this game, too, with Japan cruising to the three points and another clean sheet.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Darren Plant
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