On Tuesday, Ecuador and Japan will both conclude their preparations for the 2022 World Cup when the two nations meet in Dusseldorf for an international friendly.
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more. Ecuador and Japan will lock horns at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Tuesday (September 27) in a friendly as both teams continue their preparations for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.
The Tricolor are back in the quadrennial competition after missing the 2018 edition in Russia, finishing a respectable fourth in the CONMEBOL qualifiers to book their place in the Qatar showpiece. They’ve been drawn in Group A alongside Netherlands, Senegal and hosts Qatar.
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
Gustavo Alfaro’s side have played four friendlies since the conclusion of their qualifying campaign, winning and drawing twice apiece. Last week, they were held to a goalless draw by Saudi Arabia.
Japan, meanwhile, qualified for their seventh straight World Cup campaign after cruising through the AFC qualifiers. However, they have been handed a tough group with European giants Spain and Germany, and Costa Rica.
Their last meeting came at the 2019 Copa America, where they played out a 1-1 draw in the group stage.
Ecuador Form Guide (all competitions): D-W-D-W-D
Japan Form Guide (all competitions): W-W-D-W-L
Ecuador vs Japan Team NewsEcuador
The Tricolor are sewating over Alan Franco’s fitness after the midfielder went off with an injury against Saudi Arabia. Enner Valencia, Ecuador’s all-time top-scorer with 35 goals, will look to add to his tally here.
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
Injured: None
Doubtful: Alan Franco
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Japan
Following their 2-0 win over USA on Friday, Japan may line up with the same XI once again.
Takehiro Tomiyasu has been withdrawn from the squad because of club commitments, and Hiroki Ito could take his place at the heart of defence. Shuichi Gonda is also ruled out, with Daniel Schmidt likely to take his place in goal.
Injured: Shuichi Gonda
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Unavailable: Takehiro Tomiyasu
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
Ecuador vs Japan Predicted XIs
Ecuador (4-3-3): Alexander Dominguez; Angelo Preciado, Jackson Porozo, Piero Hincapie, Pervis Estupinan; Jose Cifuentes, Carlos Gruezo, Moises Caicedo; Gonzalo Plata, Romario Ibarra, Enner Valencia
Japan (4-4-2): Daniel Schmidt; Hiroki Sakai, Maya Yoshida, Hiroki Ito, Yuta Nakayama; Ritsu Doan, Wataru Endo, Hidemasa Morita, Kaoru Mitoma; Daizen Maeda, Daichi Kamada
$1,100 First Bet Insurance at CaesarsEcuador vs Japan Prediction
Ecuador are a strong team defensively, but Japan’s better quality should see them through albeit narrowly.
Prediction: Ecuador 0-1 Japan
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
USWNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (Including this match): Sauerbrunn (210), Rapinoe (196), Horan (120), Lavelle (82), Sullivan (35), Smith (25), Cook (18), Murphy (10), Rodman (9), Mace (7), Pickett (2)
Tuesday’s lineup features four different players from the Starting XI on Friday night at Wembley. Casey Murphy replaces Alyssa Naeher in goal while there are an additional three changes on the backline with Becky Sauerbrunn, Carson Pickett and Hailie Mace starting while Naomi Girma, Emily Fox and Sofia Huerta will begin on the bench.
This starting lineup averages 64 caps per player with Sauerbrunn, Rapinoe and Horan the only players in the lineup with 100+ caps. Six players – Smith, Cook, Murphy, Rodman, Mace and Pickett – have fewer than 25 caps, including Murphy, Rodman, Mace and Pickett, who all enter the match with fewer than 10 caps under their belt.
Becky Sauerbrunn returns to the starting lineup and will captain the squad as she earns her 210th career cap. Sauerbrunn, who came on late in the second half on Friday at Wembley, ranks ninth in USWNT history in both total caps and minutes played.
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
Casey Murphy will earn her 10th career cap as she makes her eighth start of 2022. Murphy has seven career shutouts in her nine caps, the most recent of which came against Costa Rica in the semifinals of the Concacaf W Championship.
Alana Cook will make her 14th start of the year as she earns her 18th cap overall with the USWNT. Cook leads the USA with 1,106 total minutes played in 2022 and has played the full 90 minutes in 10 of her 13 appearances so far this year.
Lindsey Horan will make her 120th international appearance for the USWNT as she makes her 12th start of 2022. While not officially credited with an assist, Horan’s pressure helped force the England turnover which led to Sophia Smith’s goal on Friday against England. Since the start of 2020, Horan has played in 41 matches for the USA and has been directly involved in 22 goals – with 14 goals and eight assists.
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
Rose Lavelle will make her 82nd international appearance as she makes her 13th start of 2022. Lavelle has been directly involved in 10 goals in the USA’s last 12 matches, tallying four goals – including the game-winning header on September 6 against Nigeria — and adding six assists during that span.
Defender Hailie Mace will earn her seventh cap for the USWNT as she makes her second career start and first since October 7, 2018, when she started and played the full 90 minutes against Panama in the USA’s qualifying campaign for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Mace, who returned to the USA roster for the September International Window and appeared in both matches against Nigeria, will be making her fourth appearance for the USA in a span of six weeks after going nearly four years without a cap.
Carson Pickett, who arrived in Spain on Sunday as an injury replacement for Emily Fox, will make her second international appearance and second start for the USWNT. Pickett, who was born without part of her left arm, is the first player with a limb difference to appear for the USWNT and played the full 90 minutes in her international debut against Colombia on June 28, 2022.
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
World Friendly International 2022 : Ecuador vs Japan Stats, Soccer & Fixtures prediction, preview, team news and more
