Best Odds: 7/10
Bookmaker:
Two sides who will be looking to get 2023 underway with a victory in Tokyo, Japan will welcome Uruguay to the New National Stadium on Friday morning.
Japan
Starting with the hosts, while Japan might have eventually fallen to World Cup heartbreak in Qatar over the winter, Hajime Moriyasu s men did gain a string of plaudits. Shocking almost everyone as they punched their knockout stage ticket in the Middle East, the Samurai Blue also picked up some major heavyweight scalps during their famous flurry on the world stage. Claiming a pair of 2-1 wins against European icons Germany and Spain, the mood in their camp should remain at a real high. Quickly skyrocketing their way up the FIFA standings, there is no doubt that Japan will be looking to make another statement when they return to Tokyo on Friday morning. Certainly proving that their shock 1-0 loss at the hands of Costa Rica was just a minor blip, it should be noted that Moriyasu s side have lost just a pair of their last 10 appearances across all formats within 90 minutes.
Team News
Enjoying what has been a stellar run of form with Premier League high-flyers Brighton, Kaoru Mitoma should lead Japan s attack on Friday morning. However, the likes of Maya Yoshida, Yuto Nagatomo and Hiroki Sakai have all missed out on a call-up this month.
Likewise, in what was a real shock, ex-Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino has not been included in Moriyasu s 26-man squad.
Uruguay
As for the visitors, although Uruguay might have signed off their World Cup adventure with a 2-0 victory against Ghana on December 2nd, that doesn t cover what was a lackluster run in the Middle East. While La Celeste might have traveled over to Qatar tipped as a standout contender to punch their knockout stage ticket, the South American giants certainly found themselves under a huge amount of scrutiny. Sacking long-term boss Oscar Tabarez over the winter and yet to find a new permanent replacement, Friday s guests will be desperate to find a post-World Cup boost in Tokyo. Although Uruguay might still hold a fearsome reputation for their defensive resolve, the Blues should be concerned by their most recent trip to Japan. Eventually getting hit with an action-packed 4-3 defeat when they made the trip to Saitama for a friendly showdown back in 2018, La Celeste could face another tricky test here.
Team News
Darwin Nunez has had to withdraw from their squad after picking up a knock during Liverpool s Champions League exit last week. Likewise, Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has also removed himself from selection this month due to a recent injury issue.
In what was a remarkable move from interim boss Marcelo Broli, neither Edinson Cavani nor Luis Suarez has been included in La Celeste s squad.
Key Factors to Consider
