India vs Japan: How to watch, kickoff time
Date: March 7, 2025.
Kickoff time: 4:30 PM IST (8 PM Japan time, 7pm AWST).
Venue: Perth Rectangular Stadium.
Telecast: FanCode (India).
India vs Japan: The Big Picture
After India’s last-minute loss to Vietnam, they move to the second match of the group in a bid to heal broken hearts… but standing in their way are the favourites to win this tournament. Japan beat Chinese Taipei 2-0 in their opener, but that’s a scoreline that does no justice to their dominance.
India meet Japan for the third time in the AFC Asian Cup, and the gap between the two nations as big as it ever has been. The difference in ranks between the two teams (59 ranks separate the two) is an illustration of the task ahead of India. Historically, it’s been one-sided; Japan won the previous two games 6-0 and 1-0 and it’s the latter result (from 1999) that India will seek inspiration from, to keep it tight and possibly hit on the counter.
Speaking ahead of the match, India coach Amelia Valverde said the team’s feeling good and that the focus over the past two days has been recovery because “the players are physically drained.”
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“We know Japan like to dominate possession and play dynamically,” she said. “We need to prepare our own game and aim to put on a strong performance, remaining competitive like we were against Vietnam.”
That will, of course, be easier said and done. If India were drained by the vertical, end-to-end intensity of the second half against Vietnam it promises to be a whole different issue against Japan — where the plan could well be to sit deep, frustrate their illustrious opponents and use the pace of Manisha Kalyan and possibly young Sanfida Nongrum on the counter.
That Japan will keep attacking India’s rearguard goes without saying. In their opener against Chinese Taipei, Japan made 87(!) entries into the opposition penalty box. In fact, Japan have now made 50+ entries in four of their last six tournament games.
Meanwhile Japan coach Nils Nielsen appeared quietly confident at the presser. “I’m confident we can create chances against India,” said Nielsen. “They are a strong team with great spirit, and although they were unlucky in their last game, we believe we can put them under pressure. To score, we must really commit and fight for every ball.”
Japan’s 2-0 scoreline does little to demonstrate the superiority they had over Chinese Taipei: they had 89.5% of possession and got 30 attempts at goal to their opponents none. If you drill down deeper, it just gets more impressive.
Given their status as one of the tournament favourites, Japan are likely to come up against more stubborn and extra-defensive opposition in their upcoming games against India and Vietnam. Paul Kane/Getty Images
The heat map of the game shows red markings only in the Taipei half, while AFC’s action areas graph says that only 3% of the action happened in Japan’s defensive third. Chinese Taipei’s defensive third shows an astounding 62.3% of all the action. To Japan’s 87 pen box entries, Chinese Taipei had 3 touches inside the Japan box.
They will now eye the India game with the intent to sharpen the finishing skills that let them down in their first match.
India vs Japan: Team News
India
It will be interesting to see how Amelia Valverde lines her India team up. She started the Vietnam game with experience but saw an immediate improvement when previously untested youth entered the fray and upped the tempo no need. Shifting Manisha Kalyan to something of a false nine role also helped with her physicality allowing others into the game around her.
She could well opt for a similar approach against Japan. Key to that would be Sangita Basfore breaking up Japan’s midfield where possible. Speaking ahead of the match, she said, “My role on the pitch is to support my teammates, give 100 percent, and help move the ball forward both literally and figuratively. It’s about progressing together and getting the best results for the team.”
Can she do that against arguably the best midfield in the tournament, though?
Japan
There may be a temptation for Nils Nielsen to rotate and test the depth of his squad — which shouldn’t make for much of a drop-off considering the sheer quality of the squad — but he’ll also recognise the rust that affected their opener and may want a stable XI getting into their groove before they are out of these group stages.
“We tried to build on the first match and focus on what areas can be better. We are still in the process of building up as a team,” said Nielsen. “Our focus is on concentrating on each game and continuing the good work we showed in the first match.”
India vs Japan: Key Players
Panthoi Chanu
It’d be tempting to write Manisha Kalyan here: after all, she’s India’s best player and any attacking joy India get in the match will likely be through here. However, considering the opponent, considering what they did in the opener, it’ll be critical for India that Panthoi Chanu be on her A-game. She was very good against Vietnam and will expect to be even more busy against the continent’s Goliaths.
The reigning AFC International Player of the Year. Golden Ball and Silver Boot winner at the 2022 U20 World Cup. Part of Chelsea‘s all-conquering treble winning team last season… Maika Hamano is the real deal. Just 21, she’s making her Asian Cup debut in this edition and will want to make her mark. Rapid, skillful and capable of playing on either wing and dangerous through the inside-channels, India will need to watch out for her on Saturday.
India vs Japan: Expected Lineups
India (4-4-2): Panthoi (GK); Nirmala, Sweety, Martina, Sanju; Soumya, Sangita, Shilky, Rimpa; Sanfida, Manisha
Japan (4-3-3): Yamashita (GK); Shimizu, Takahashi, Minami, Kitagawa; Hasegawa, Nagano, Tanikawa; Hamano, Tanaka, Fujino