Japan will begin their AFC Asian Cup 2023 campaign with a group-stage game against Vietnam at the Al Thumama Stadium on Sunday. They are part of Group D which also has Indonesia and Iraq.
Being the top-ranked team in the competition, Japan boasts a squad consisting of players from some of Europe's top leagues and are widely expected to secure a record fifth trophy. Having won their last nine games in a row, the Samurai Blues are one of the teams to beat in this competition.
Vietnam are currently second in their group for the World Cup qualifiers and have managed just one win out of their last six games including friendlies. They will find it hard to stop Japan's talented attack and will be hoping to deliver their best against one of the top teams in the competition. Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Japan vs Vietnam kick-off time
| Date: | January 14, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 6.30 am EDT |
| Venue: | Al Thumama Stadium |
The match will be played at the Al Thumama Stadium, with kick-off at 6.30 am EDT on January 14 for fans in the US.
How to watch Japan vs Vietnam online - TV channels & live streams
The match will be shown live on Paramount+ in the US. Match highlights will be available on the platform and YouTube after the game whereas live updates can be found here on GOAL.
Team news & squads
Japan team news
Despite an injury, Brighton midfielder Kaoru Mitoma has been included in the squad. Japan remain optimistic about his potential return to fitness during the tournament.
The competition for spots in Japan's team is evident and it will be interesting to see the team's first lineup of the tournament.
Japan predicted XI: Maekawa; Tomiyasu, Machida, Sugawara, H Ito; Endo, Morita, J Ito, Kubo, Asano; Ueda.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Daiya Maekawa, Zion Suzuki, Taishi Brandon Nozawa |
| Defenders: | Shogo Taniguchi, Kou Itakura, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Yuta Nakayama, Koki Machida, Seiya Maikuma, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito, Yukinari Sugawara |
| Midfielders: | Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Takuma Asano, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Kaoru Mitoma, Daizen Maeda, |
| Forwards: | Reo Hatate, Ritsu Doan, Ayase Ueda, Keito Nakamura, Kaishu Sano, Takefusa Kubo, Mao Hosoya |
Vietnam team news
Vietnam faced an injury crisis leading up to the competition, with Que Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Tien Linh, Dang Van Lam, Nguyen Thanh Chung, and Hoang Van Toan all withdrawing from the squad in recent weeks.
Although Nguyen Hoang Duc made the 26-man squad for The Golden Star Warriors, he is still recovering from an ankle injury and has been confirmed as a definite absentee for the opening match.
Vietnam predicted XI: Trieu; Thanh, Binh, Phan, Anh; Trong, Thanh, Nguyen, Toan; Linh, Pham.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Nguyen Filip, Nguyen Dinh Trieu, Nguyen Van Viet |
| Defenders: | Do Duy Manh, Vo Minh Trong, Ho Tan Tai, Giap Tuan Duong, Nguyen Thanh Binh, Pham Xuan Manh, Phan Tuan Tai, Vu Van Thanh, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Khuat Van Khang |
| Midfielders: | Do Hung Dung, Nguyen Tuan Anh, Truong Tien Anh, Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Thai Son, Nguyen Hai Long, Nguyen Quang Hai, Le Pham Thanh Long, Trieu Viet Hung |
| Forwards: | Nguyen Van Toan, Pham Tuan Hai, Nguyen Dinh Bac, Nguyen Van Tung |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| March 29, 2022 | Japan 1 - 1 Vietnam | World Cup qualifiers |
| November 11, 2021 | Vietnam 0 - 1 Japan | World Cup qualifiers |
| January 24, 2019 | Vietnam 0 - 1 Japan | Asian Cup |
| October 7, 2011 | Japan 1 - 0 Vietnam | Friendly |
| July 16, 2007 | Vietnam 1 - 4 Japan | Asian Cup |