This is a huge match for both teams today. Essentially it is a battle for second place and a trip to the round of 16. Both teams have lost to Group E powerhouse the Netherlands, who look likely to dispatch Cameroon. Regardless of whether or not they win they are guaranteed to go through. Denmark has conceded more goals than Japan in their past two games and because of this a draw with Japan would not suffice.
Japan: Japan have played well this tournament, upsetting Cameron with a 1-0 victory. They were then defeated but managed to hold the Netherlands to a narrow 1-0 victory. With a highly disciplined team they look set to give Denmark a hard fought match.
What to look out for: Japan on the break and counter attacks. The Danish defense has not been playing particularly well, creating scoring opportunities for the opposition. Japan will look to exploit any moment of weakness and hold their lead as they did against Cameroon.
Denmark: Suffering a 2-0 loss to the Netherlands during their opening group match seemed to affect them going into their match against Cameroon when they went down 1-0 in the early minutes of the 1st half. However, they had the composure to fight back to a 2-1 victory. With the height factor put into play the Danes look likely to dominate an aerial dogfight and keep Japan on edge during corner kicks. One problem for the Danes though is that their star striker Nicklas Bendtner looks unlike to play in this decisive match.
What to look out for: A strong attacking flow from the 1st whistle. A win is Denmark's only option. Look for them to maintain possession and keep the Japanese defense under pressure.
Prediction: Japan only need a draw to go through and will most likely play a defensive game looking for counter attacking opportunities. Without star player Bendtner, the Danes have suffered a setback but still have a team capable of challenging the worlds best. My prediction is a narrow 1-0 victory for the Danes.
No comments:
Post a Comment