Following their first match of the FIFA World Cup 26™ Asian qualifier against China PR on 5 September, SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) will travel to Bahrain for their second match on 10 September. Bahrain also got off to a good start with a 1-0 win over Australia in their first match away from home and will be looking to build on that momentum as they look to secure back-to-back wins against Japan.

Bahrain have put up a valiant fight against Japan in the past. The most memorable was at the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China PR. The semi-final between the two sides was a thriller, with Japan, led by coach Zico, winning 4-3 in extra time thanks to a late goal from TAMADA Keiji. In World Cup qualifying, the two sides met in the third round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifiers, with Bahrain winning 1-0 at home to Japan, coached by OKADA Takeshi.

However, Bahrain have never qualified for a World Cup. They came close to qualifying for both the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ and the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ but lost in the intercontinental play-offs to Trinidad and Tobago and New Zealand respectively.

In the second round of qualifying, which ran from November last year to June this year, the team finished second in their group behind the UAE, with three wins, two draws and one defeat. At the Asian Cup, held in January and February, they won the group stage and faced Japan in the round of 16. The team, led by Spanish coach Juan Antonio PIZZI at the time, lost 1-3 after conceding goals to DOAN Ritsu, KUBO Takefusa and UEDA Ayase.

After the tournament, there was a change at the helm, with Croatian coach Dragan TALAJIC taking over. At the Asian Cup, Japan coach MORIYASU Hajime described Bahrain as “a counter-attacking team with a very strong defence,” but in an interview with FIFA's official website, Talajic explained his approach: “I'm always for attacking football.”

The team, who are aiming to make their first ever appearance at the World Cup, will be built around a solid defence led by goalkeeper Ebrahim LUTFALLA and centre-back Waleed AL HAYAM, with technical midfielders Kamil AL-ASWAD, Ali MADAN and Mohamed MARHOON orchestrating the attack.

Record against Japan

2 wins 9 losses (8 goals, 20 against)

Results at the FIFA World Cup™

Appearances: none
※Achieved its independence from Great Britain in 1968
(Became a FIFA member in 1968)

1970　Did not participate
1974　Did not participate
1978　Eliminated in the qualifier
1982　Eliminated in the qualifier
1986　Eliminated in the qualifier
1990　Did not participate
1994　Eliminated in the qualifier
1998　Eliminated in the qualifier
2002　Eliminated in the qualifier
2006　Eliminated in the qualifier
2010　Eliminated in the qualifier
2014　Eliminated in the qualifier
2018　Eliminated in the qualifier
2022　Eliminated in the qualifier

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