TIPS - Japan(U23) VS Afghanistan(U23)

[(Japan(U23)) Strength]:
1. The current roster of Japan(U23) features multiple players based in overseas leagues, with Kento Shiogai of Dutch Eredivisie side N.E.C. Nijmegen being the most notable. He previously played for Japan(U19) at the 2024 Maurice Revello Tournament, where he scored 5 goals in 5 appearances and clinched the tournament's Golden Boot.
2. Japan(U23) hammered the strong team Saudi Arabia(U23) 5-1 in the last warm-up game. They are in outstanding form now.
3. Japan(U23) have a powerful offense. They scored 12 goals in the last 5 international games, averaging more than 2 goals per game.
4. Japan(U23) have a solid defense. They conceded 4 goals in the last 5 international games and kept 3 clean sheets.
5. In the previous AFC U23 Asian Cup, Japan(U23) finished second in their group with a record of two wins and one loss in the group stage. They went on to defeat Qatar(U23) and Iraq(U23) in the knockout rounds before winning the championship with a 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan(U23) in the final.

[(Japan(U23)) Neutral]:
1. The two teams have no previous encounter at this age level, making this game their first-ever meeting in history.

[(Afghanistan(U23)) Strength]:
1. Afghanistan(U23) won 4 of the last 6 international games in AH with reliable ability.

[(Afghanistan(U23)) Neutral]:
1. All matches in Group B of this edition's AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers will be held in Myanmar, meaning neither team will enjoy home advantage.

[(Afghanistan(U23)) Weakness]:
1. In the previous AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, Afghanistan(U23) failed to advance to the main tournament after recording one draw and two losses in the group stage.
2. Afghanistan(U23) have participated in the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers on five previous occasions but has never qualified for the main tournament, reflecting the team's overall lack of competitiveness in the region.
3. Afghanistan(U23) have consistently struggled with offensive efficiency, scoring only one goal across three games during the previous AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, averaging fewer than 0.35 goals per game.
4. The defensive performance of Afghanistan(U23) has been highly vulnerable, conceding 12 goals in just three matches during the previous AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers — an average of four goals per game.

[Tips]:
Japan(U23), the reigning champions of the previous AFC U23 Asian Cup, boast significant competitiveness in Asia with strong performances in both offense and defense.

In contrast, Afghanistan(U23) have consistently struggled, having never qualified for the main tournament and displaying severe imbalances in both attacking and defensive capabilities.

Although the two sides have no prior head-to-head record, Japan(U23) hold a substantial advantage in overall strength and is clearly the more reliable side in this game.

Japan(U23) are expected to secure a victory.

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