In a pivotal match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifying tournament, Japan secured a 3-1 victory over China in Xiamen, Fujian Province. This loss places China at the bottom of Group C, intensifying the competition as the qualifiers progress.
This was the second clash between the two teams at this stage of the tournament. Japan previously overwhelmed China with a 7-0 win, initiating a challenging period for China that included a three-game losing streak. However, China showed resilience by winning their next two matches against Indonesia and Bahrain, giving fans hope for an improved performance.
The first half was evenly matched, with neither team creating significant scoring opportunities in the initial 30 minutes. The breakthrough came in the 39th minute when Japan's Koki Ogawa headed a corner kick from the left into China's goal, giving Japan a 1-0 lead.
China's defense struggled to contain Japan's offensive strategies, allowing another goal before halftime. In the second half, Koki Machida delivered a precise header pass to Ko Itakura, who extended Japan's lead to 2-0, further diminishing China's chances in the group standings.
As the match concluded, China managed to pull one back, but the deficit proved too significant to overcome. This result highlights the growing strength of Japan's national team and the challenges ahead for China as they seek to advance in the World Cup qualifiers.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
