Japan vs Bahrain at the Saitama Stadium in Saitama

Number of matches - 8
Japan won - 6
Bahrain won - 2
Draws - 0
Goals by Japan - 14
Goals by Bahrain - 7

The Blue Samurai have clashed eight times before this against their Gulf rivals and hold a distinct upper hand when it comes to the results.

Japan have won six of these matches, starting with the earliest recorded victory in 1978 when they thrashed Bahrain 4-0 in the Asian Games. Their next chronicled match, surprisingly, did not materialise until the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China when they met in the semi-finals and Zico’s men had to pull off a 4-3 extra-time win to scrape into the finals.

Bahrain’s grit and determination was amply rewarded when FIFA put them down as the most improved team for the year.

The two were pitted again in the qualifiers for the 2006 FIFA World Cup but Japan won both the encounters by slender margins.

But this time round Bahrain seem to have got Japan’s measure and they have two wins to show so far in the final round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. But Japan have never lost at home and it would be prudent to expect a similar result tomorrow when the Bahrainis play at the awe-inspiring Saitama Stadium.

Uzbekistan vs Qatar at the Pakhtakor Stadium in Tashkent

Number of matches - 6
Uzbekistan won - 2
Qatar won - 2
Draws - 2
Goals by Uzbekistan - 8
Goals by Qatar - 9

Qatar won 3-0 at home the last time they faced their Central Asian rivals last September but the fact that they have never won in Tashkent will be weighing heavily on their minds.

The two have crossed swords six times and the honours are even. The Uzbeks have won twice, as have their rivals, and two matches have ended in a draw.

The records show that they came face-to-face for the first time in the year 2000 and the match ended a goal apiece.

The Uzbeks have been imperious in their own backyard, the Pakhtakor Stadium, and have defeated the Qataris on two occasions.

The Central Asians posted their first win over Qatar at home in 2001 in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier before another victory in 2006 in the AFC Asian Cup 2007 qualification.

Iran vs Saudi Arabia at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran

Number of matches - 12
Iran won - 4
Saudi Arabia won - 3
Draws - 5
Goals by Iran - 18
Goals by Saudi Arabia - 11

The number of draws between the two teams - five out of 12 played - gives an idea of how evenly matched the two sides have been over the years and the storied nature of their rivalry.

Iran hold a slight edge, having won four encounters as compared to three by the ’Sons of the Desert’, in what is popularly know in the Gulf region as the ’West Asian Derby’.

Team Melli posted their first win over the Saudis in 1977 en route to their maiden appearance in the FIFA World Cup Finals the following year. The two met again in 1984 in the AFC Asian Cup semi-finals but Iran won again on penalties.

The Saudis had to wait until 1988 before they got a chance for avenging their humiliation. And this was managed in style when they ousted Iran in the AFC Asian Cup semi-finals and went on to win the title.

Since then their rivalry has only acquired an acute edge with each passing game.

The opening leg in the final phase was a 1-1 draw in Riyadh and a good result in this match is of crucial significance for both teams to keep alive hopes of an automatic place in the Finals.

DPR Korea vs UAE at the Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang

Number of matches - 7
DPR Korea won - 1
UAE won - 3
Draws - 3
Goals by DPR Korea - 6
Goals by UAE - 8

The two rivals have clashed seven times and DPR Korea have won just once, ceding three games to the UAE, while three ended in draws.

The East Asians managed to clock their first favourable result only last year when they flexed their muscles with a 2-1 win in Abu Dhabi.

Their first match dates back to 1989, a goalless draw. The UAE will be playing in the DPR Korean capital for only the second time after 2004 when the honours were shared following a 0-0 draw.

DPR Korea are in a strong position in their pool and look set to improve their head-to-head record at the Kim Il-Sung Stadium whose intimidating atmosphere might prove a bit too hot for the visitors to handle.