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Japan to Face Iran in the Soccer Asia Cup Quarterfinals

Qatar, Feb 01, 2024 (News On Japan) - In the ongoing Asian Cup held in Qatar, Japan, ranked 17th in the world, is set to face Iran in the quarterfinals on Saturday, Febuary 3rd. Japan, aiming for its fifth championship and first in three tournaments, advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Bahrain 3-1 in the round of 16 on the 31st.

Japan to Face Iran in the Soccer Asia Cup Quarterfinals

The match that determined Japan's next opponent was between Iran and Syria, which concluded in a 1-1 draw after extra time, leading to a penalty shootout where Iran triumphed over Syria with a score of 5-3. Consequently, Japan is now slated to play against Iran.

Iran, ranked 21st globally and just behind Japan in Asia, has advanced to this stage with a clean sweep of victories in the group league. The upcoming match against Iran will be Japan's first encounter since the semifinals of the previous Asian Cup, five years ago. The historical head-to-head record between the two teams stands at six wins, six losses, and five draws each. The quarterfinal match between Japan and Iran is scheduled to take place at 8:30 PM on the 3rd.

Source: NHK

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Japan advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup after a 1-1 draw with Sweden on June 25, finishing second in Group F and setting up a Round of 32 clash with Brazil in Houston.

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In 2006, these teams met for the first time at the world’s biggest football tournament. Back then, you could bet on Brazil to win at odds of 1.28 and hardly worry about the outcome.

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Japan's national soccer team arrived in Monterrey, Mexico, after holding a mostly closed training session near Nashville, Tennessee, on June 18 as it prepares for a key Group F match against Tunisia on June 20 local time, or June 21 in Japan, at Monterrey Stadium.

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When Japan faces Tunisia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, at 1 p.m. local time on June 20 (3 a.m. Japan time on June 21), the Samurai Blue will have an opportunity to take a major step toward the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.