Qatar and Vietnam will face Asia's number one team, Japan, in their opening match in Group D of the 2023 Asian Cup. Kick-off is at 6:30 PM.
The Al Thumama Stadium is gradually filling up with fans.
Vietnamese fans in the stands at Al Thumama Stadium. Photo: Lam Thoa
Some fans from host country Qatar also arrived early to cheer for Vietnam and Japan. Photo: Lam Thoa
Japanese female fans also arrived early in the stands at Al Thumama Stadium. Photo: Lam Thoa
Japanese players warm up on the Al Thumama pitch before kick-off. Photo: Lam Thoa
Vietnamese players warm up.
Captain Hung Dung was one of the three starting midfielders, along with Tuan Anh and Thai Son. Photo: Lam Thoa
Tuan Hai suffered a minor injury and had to train separately yesterday, but was still included in the starting lineup for the match against Japan. Photo: Lam Thoa
Goalkeeper Nguyen Filip made his first start in an official tournament for Vietnam. Photo: Lam Thoa
Team lineups
Vietnam : Nguyen Filip, Vo Minh Trong, Nguyen Thanh Binh, Pham Xuan Manh, Do Hung Dung, Pham Tuan Hai, Nguyen Tuan Anh, Phan Tuan Tai, Nguyen Dinh Bac, Nguyen Thai Son, Bui Hoang Viet Anh.
Japan: Zion Suzuki, Yukinari Sugawara, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Hiroki Ito, Hidemasa Morita, Wataru Endo, Takumi Minamino, Keito Nakamura, Junya Ito, Mao Hosoya.
Japan's starting lineup
Japan's starting eleven is missing Kaoru Mitoma, Takefusa Kubo, and Takehiro Tomiyasu due to injury.
Vietnam's starting lineup
Goalkeeper Nguyen Filip started in goal. The defenders chosen for the 5-3-2 formation were Vo Minh Trong, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Nguyen Thanh Binh, Pham Xuan Manh, and Phan Tuan Tai. The starting midfield trio consisted of Do Hung Dung, Nguyen Tuan Anh, and Nguyen Thai Son. In attack, Nguyen Dinh Bac partnered with Pham Tuan Hai, who had recently recovered from injury.
Three players were not registered for this match: Nguyen Van Toan, Giap Tuan Duong, and Nguyen Van Tung. Therefore, the Vietnamese national team no longer has any genuine strikers on the bench.
Two neutral fans arrived early to cheer on the Vietnamese and Japanese teams in the match at Al Thumama Stadium. Photo: Lam Thoa
Al Thumama Stadium, inspired by Qatar's traditional Taqiyah hat, before kick-off. Photo: Lam Thoa
Two Bangladeshi fans were present at Al Thumama Stadium to cheer for Vietnam – a team considered weaker than Japan. Photo: Lam Thoa
The Vietnamese national team's jerseys are ready in the locker room at Al Thumama Stadium, Doha, Qatar. Photo: Lam Thoa
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In their five encounters with Vietnam, Japan only managed a minimal 1-0 victory in the 2019 Asian Cup quarter-finals, followed by a 1-0 win and a 1-1 draw in the third round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Coach Hajime Moriyasu considers the arrival of coach Philippe Troussier – someone who understands Japanese football well – to be Vietnam's most dangerous weapon.
However, the challenge at Al Thumama Stadium on January 14th is considered the ultimate one for Vietnam at this time, as Japan has been in world form for the past year with 10 consecutive wins, scoring 45 goals and conceding only five.
Vietnam faces numerous difficulties ahead of the tournament, with a series of quality and experienced players absent due to injury. Compared to their encounter at the 2019 Asian Cup, while the Japanese team has become stronger and more stable, the "golden generation" of Vietnamese football has declined, creating significant disruption and forcing the coach to place more faith in the younger players.
For Japan, their goal is to win their fifth Asian Cup title in history. Their seriousness is demonstrated by the fact that they have called up all their best players currently playing in Europe, such as Takefusa Kubo, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Wataru Endo. Even the inclusion of an injured Kaoru Mitoma reflects the strategic planning and confidence of the "Samurai Warriors" in their ability to go far.
Japan is the most successful team in the Asian Cup with four titles, most recently in 2011. They have also reached the quarter-finals in the last eight tournaments and are the reigning runners-up. Hajime Moriyasu's squad is considered the strongest team in the 2023 Asian Cup, and their FIFA ranking of 17 reflects this.
Despite the widening gap in skill level, Troussier still believes Vietnam can spring a surprise, and even if they can't earn points, a small defeat would still be considered a success. Vietnam understands that a single goal or a yellow card can decide their qualification for the next round.
Japan and Vietnam are in Group D of the 2023 Asian Cup, along with Iraq and Indonesia. The teams will play a round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the Round of 16. The four best third-placed teams across the six groups will also qualify, similar to what Vietnam achieved at the 2019 Asian Cup under Park Hang-seo.
Vy Anh
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