Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Volleyball Nations League match.
Argentina remain in contention for the play-offs, but the final phase of the tournament has become a real challenge for the squad. Back-to-back losses to Iran and Bulgaria have left Argentina with no room for error, and they now face the pressure of overcoming stronger opposition. Their next match against Japan will be held in Chiba, where the hosts will benefit from the home court advantage.
Argentina
Argentina currently sit ninth in the standings and are pushing hard to break into the top eight. Despite a difficult start to the tournament, they have remained competitive even against top-tier opponents. Importantly, the Argentines have failed to win a set in only one of their nine matches so far in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League—a 0:3 defeat to Bulgaria. In the other eight games, they have managed to win at least one set. Historically, Argentina have played Japan 19 times and have only suffered a straight-sets defeat on two occasions.
Japan
Japan are currently fourth in the group and still have a realistic chance of climbing into third. In their last five matches, they have suffered two defeats—against Ukraine (2:3) and Bulgaria (0:3)—but have also secured wins over three top-10 ranked teams: France, Germany, and Slovenia. However, Japan have dropped at least one set in four of their last five matches. In head-to-head encounters with Argentina, the Japanese have won the last four meetings, though each of those victories has come with the loss of at least one set.
Argentina vs Japan Prediction
Japan have consistently had the upper hand in recent matchups with Argentina and hold a clear advantage in the standings. With the added boost of playing at home in Chiba, Japan are expected to claim another win. However, Argentina are still likely to win at least one set.
