Japan Women vs Nepal Women: match preview on 16 September 2026

Japan Women are expected to win against Nepal Women on Wednesday. The gap in recent results is too wide to ignore: Japan have won four of their last five matches while Nepal have lost four of five.

Japan Women took 12 points from their last five games, scoring 13 goals and conceding just three. Three of those victories came by margins of 3:0, showing they can control matches from start to finish. The only blemish was a 1:3 home defeat to Thailand Women on 29 August, but even that result gives little comfort to opponents given the quality of the other performances.

Nepal Women have won only once in five outings, picking up 3 points from 4 losses. They have scored 4 goals while conceding 14. Two of their defeats were 0:3 losses to Russia Women in July 2024, and they also fell 0:3 to Hong Kong Women at the 2023 Asian Games. That single victory came against Mongolia Women 3:2 in October 2023.

The difference in goal difference alone tells the story. Japan's +10 compared to Nepal's −10 is not a fluke over five games. Japan have kept clean sheets in four of their five recent matches while Nepal have failed to score in three of their five. The visitors have not won a match in this competition since the 2023 Asian Games.

A draw would suit Nepal if they can frustrate Japan early and protect the result. The visitors know how to run the clock down, and if they can keep the game tight through the first half, Japan's impatience might work against them.