Japan experienced a painful quarterfinal exit at the Asian Cup earlier this year, but midfielder Wataru Endo insists they must not dwell on this setback. Instead, they should approach the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Bahrain with a positive mindset. Japan will host China at Saitama Stadium on Thursday as the third round of qualifying begins, aiming to recover from their Asian Cup disappointment in Qatar, where a loss to Iran dashed their hopes of a record-extending fifth title.
Although Japan are heavily favored to finish in the top two in Group C, which includes Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia, Endo warns against complacency. "The Asian qualifiers are challenging matches, as we discovered at the Asian Cup," he noted. "These qualifiers will be a lengthy journey with tough games ahead." However, Endo emphasizes the need to focus on positive aspects rather than past negatives. "We must think positively and play as a team to overcome these challenges," added the Liverpool player.
If Japan, aiming to qualify for an eighth consecutive World Cup, fail to secure one of the two automatic spots from Group C, finishing third or fourth would extend their campaign into another round of preliminaries. Historically, Japan has started slowly in this stage, losing 1-0 to Branko Ivankovic's Oman in their first game of the final round of qualifiers for Qatar 2022. Ivankovic, now coaching China, will be on the opposing bench on Thursday, and Endo is cautious of the experienced 70-year-old tactician, who previously led Iran to victory over Japan in 2005.
"He understands how to strategize against Japan," Endo said. "His ability to analyze and devise effective tactics against us has been evident in past matches." Endo acknowledges the need to manage the threats posed by China's attacking players and highlights the physical presence of their tall and strong players that Japan must contend with.
