In a thrilling showdown at the 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship, China lost 2-0 to defending champions Japan in Yongin, South Korea. The match got off to a fast start when Mao Hosoya latched onto Satoshi Tanaka's pass and fired a stunning shot in the 11th minute ⚽️.
The Chinese mainland team kept the pressure on with Zhang Yuning breaking through in the 17th minute. Despite a strong drive, his effort was thwarted when a save from Japan led to a rebound that Wei Shihao couldn’t convert.
Japan sealed the win in the 63rd minute as Henry Heroki Mochizuki unleashed a powerful, long-range strike that left China chasing the game. This result marks China’s second consecutive loss, following a 3-0 defeat to South Korea on July 7.
Even in defeat, there was a silver lining. Zhang shared his optimism after the match: "Overall, we felt lighter on our feet and more aggressive defensively today. Most importantly, matches like this are valuable experience for the younger players – it's a great opportunity for them to grow by playing on a big stage."
Reflecting on the performance, caretaker coach Dejan Djurdjevic highlighted that the tournament represents a fresh start. "We've brought in many new players during this cycle. While we can't say we're satisfied, we've seen promising signs," he noted, pointing to a clear direction for the future development of the team.
Reference(s):
China lose to Japan, suffer second straight loss at East Asian Cup
cgtn.com
