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Japan v Afghanistan: Hosts eye another clean sheet

Japan are keen to extend their run of clean sheets in World Cup qualifying when they host Afghanistan on Thursday.

Incredibly, Vahid Halilhodzic's men are yet to concede in the second round of qualifying.

"The important thing is to win the two matches and I want to continue our clean-sheet run during the qualifiers," he said.

"And we will be also ready to score as many goals as possible.

"Now, in the FIFA ranking, Japan is at second place in Asia. For the final qualifiers, we want to maintain this position as well."

Milan's Keisuke Honda, Leicester City's Shinji Okazaki and Borussia Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa have scored 11 of Japan's 17 goals.

"I am thinking to give chances to players who currently keep playing well for their own club," he said.

"It’s up to players whether they grab that opportunity, but I am building various game plans where I give out such opportunities."

Japan's last two second-round qualifiers are being played in Saitama as they close in on progressing.