On the day that the Korean national soccer team scored 4 goals and won, the Japanese national soccer team also scored 4 goals and won.
The Korean national team, led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, defeated North African powerhouse Tunisia 4-0 in a friendly match held at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 14th. This is a game in which Lee Kang-in’s (Paris Saint-Germain) debut and second goals were scored at the same time. It is also Korea’s highest scoring game since Coach Klinsmann took office. The previous highest scoring match was against Colombia (2-2 draw).
At the same time, a friendly A match was held between Japan and Canada at Niigata Stadium in Japan. Japan’s starting players included Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco), Takuma Asano (Bochum), Junya Ito (Stade Rennes), Wataru Endo (Liverpool), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal).
Japan scored the first goal two minutes into the first half. Ao Tanaka opened the Canadian goal with a mid-range shot. In the 21st minute of the first half, a penalty kick (PK) was awarded to Canada. Jonathan David’s PK shot was saved by Japanese goalkeeper Keisuke Osako.
Japan scored an additional goal in the 39th minute. Canadian defender Alphonso Davis’ kick entered the Canadian goal and was recorded as an own goal. Japan did not stop at 2-0. In the 42nd minute of the first half, Keito Nakamura scored his third goal. Japan took a 4-0 lead in the 4th minute of the second half thanks to Ao Tanaka’s key goal.
A scoreless victory was not achieved. In the 44th minute of the second half, they conceded a goal to Junior Hoilett, ending the game 4-1. Takefusa Kubo, 메이저놀이터 Ko Itakura were absent, and Leo Hatate. Kyōgo Furuhashi came on as a substitute in the second half.
Japan has won all five recent A matches, including this one. Last June, he scored 10 goals in games against El Salvador (6-0 win) and Peru (4-1 win), and in September, he scored 4 goals each in games against Germany (4-1 win) and Turkey (4-2 win). I put it in. And they won big this time against Canada (4-1 win). He scored 22 goals in these 5 games, showing off his formidable offense, scoring 4.4 goals per game.
Japan’s next opponent is Tunisia. A friendly match between Japan and Tunisia is scheduled for the 17th at Noevia Stadium in Kobe, Japan. Tunisia, who lost 0-4 in their away game in Korea, is trying to regain their pride in their trip to Japan, but it doesn’t look like it will be easy.
It is also an opportunity to indirectly compare Korean soccer and Japanese soccer. Korea’s national team atmosphere is depressed after the 2022 Qatar World Cup. There were no cool wins under coach Klinsmann, but this match against Tunisia was the first time that the team scored three or more goals and won. The level of Tunisia’s power can be judged in the following Japan-Tunisia game.