4 years away from the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Croatia, who are yet to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, have already named their 23-man squad that will represent them in Qatar. Many of Croatia’s stars failed to qualify and they will also be without Luka Modric, Mario Mandzukic, Vedran Corluka and Ivan Rakitic who are all injured. New coach Zlatko Dalic has named his side with plenty of young exciting talent but we need to see how they do at the upcoming UEFA Nations League before we can predict their final squad.
Introduction
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is between set to be an epic battle between some of the best international teams from around the globe. Two countries set to face off in the tournament are Japan and Croatia, two sides that have enjoyed plenty of success in previous competitions. Ahead of their clash at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, we'll take a look at the predicted line-up, injury news and head-to-head record of both sides. So, let's get started! Japan are currently ranked 61st in the world rankings and they're coming into this game as one of the weakest teams on paper (although they could spring a surprise). The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be Japan's first appearance since 2002, so this has to be considered as a massive opportunity for them to enjoy more international success. Unfortunately, it's not been going well for them in recent months as they lost four out of five friendlies leading up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, including a 3-1 defeat to fellow qualifier Iceland. That defeat was a major blow to any hopes they had of being competitive against Croatia and many other strong nations come 2022.
Japan may struggle but with three days before the game kicks off there are still plenty of injuries plaguing them - striker Yuya Osako is sidelined through injury while goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima remains absent due to personal reasons - meaning there could be opportunities for others such as Kenma Hamada or Kenta Haraguchi.
Japan does hold the bragging rights when it comes to head-to-heads though after beating Croatia 1-0 back in 2015 thanks to Yuya Osako's goal.
Team News
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, and Japan and Croatia are two of the nations vying for a spot in the tournament. Both teams have enjoyed recent successes, with Japan reaching the knockout stages of the 2018 World Cup, while Croatia were runners-up in the 2018 World Cup. As they prepare to face off in their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier, let's take a look at the predicted line-ups, injury news, and head-to-head records of both teams.
Japan's predicted line-up will likely include goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda, defenders Maya Yoshida, Wataru Endo, Hiroki Sakai and Tomoaki Makino, midfielders Gaku Shibasaki, Shinji Kagawa, Takuma Asano and Genki Haraguchi, and forwards Yuya Osako and Takuma Ueda. Meanwhile, Croatia's predicted line-up could include goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic, defenders Domagoj Vida, Tin Jedvaj, Duje Caleta-Car and Sime Vrsaljko, midfielders Ivan Rakitic, Milan Badelj, Mateo Kovacic and Ante Rebic, and forwards Andrej Kramaric and Mario Mandzukic.
Both teams also have injury worries ahead of the match. For Japan, defender Naomichi Ueda is nursing an ankle injury, while forward Yoshinori Muto is recovering from a knee injury. Croatia are without defender Dejan Lovren due to a calf injury, while midfielder Luka Modric is dealing with a thigh injury.
When it comes to their head-to-head record, Japan have won two out of their last three encounters against Croatia. However, it's worth noting that their most recent meeting was in 2002, so this match will be a completely different challenge.
As Japan and Croatia prepare to face each other in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier, fans of both teams can expect an exciting match. Stay tuned for more updates on this high-stakes clash!
Head-to-Head
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup set to kick off in less than two years, the anticipation of what teams will be participating and what their lineups will look like is growing. For Japan and Croatia, the two teams that will face off in Group D, predictions of what their starting eleven will be is a hot topic of conversation.
Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu is likely to pick a largely similar team to what he fielded in the 2018 World Cup. Goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, defender Maya Yoshida, midfielder Makoto Hasebe, and forward Shinji Okazaki are all likely to make an appearance for the Japanese side. Of course, there are always potential surprises to be had, so we’ll have to wait and see what other names Moriyasu calls upon.
Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić will have his hands full trying to craft a lineup that can compete with the powerhouse Japanese side. The most notable player on the Croatian roster is undoubtedly captain Luka Modric, who will be vital to Croatia’s success at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Defenders Dejan Lovren and Domagoj Vida are also likely to play key roles in the Croat’s quest for glory.
Injury news and head-to-head matchups should also be taken into account when predicting the lineups of these two teams. Japan and Croatia have met each other three times in official competitions over the years, with Croatia winning two of those meetings and one ending in a draw. Both teams are likely to field squads that are prepared for a tough battle come 2022 FIFA World Cup kickoff.
Predicted Lineups
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup set to kick off in less than two years, the anticipation of what teams will be participating and what their lineups will look like is growing. For Japan and Croatia, the two teams that will face off in Group D, predictions of what their starting eleven will be is a hot topic of conversation.
Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu is likely to pick a largely similar team to what he fielded in the 2018 World Cup. Goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, defender Maya Yoshida, midfielder Makoto Hasebe, and forward Shinji Okazaki are all likely to make an appearance for the Japanese side. Of course, there are always potential surprises to be had, so we’ll have to wait and see what other names Moriyasu calls upon.
Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić will have his hands full trying to craft a lineup that can compete with the powerhouse Japanese side. The most notable player on the Croatian roster is undoubtedly captain Luka Modric, who will be vital to Croatia’s success at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Defenders Dejan Lovren and Domagoj Vida are also likely to play key roles in the Croat’s quest for glory.
Injury news and head-to-head matchups should also be taken into account when predicting the lineups of these two teams. Japan and Croatia have met each other three times in official competitions over the years, with Croatia winning two of the meeting and one ending in a draw. Both teams are likely to field squads that are prepared for a tough battle come 2022 FIFA World Cup kickoff.022 FIFA World
Conclusion
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will mark a great opportunity for both Japan and Croatia to battle it out on the world stage. As the tournament draws closer, both sides will be preparing their squads and tactics in anticipation of a thrilling encounter. With the predicted line ups, injury news and head-to-head history between the two teams, this match could be one of the most anticipated games of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We will be keeping an eye out for updates as we move closer to this date and hope that both sides will put on a show for the fans across the world.The 2022 FIFA World
