In a tough afternoon at the 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship in Yongin, South Korea, China fell 2-0 to defending champions Japan on Saturday, marking their second defeat in as many matches.
Japan drew first blood in the 11th minute when Mao Hosoya latched onto Satoshi Tanaka's pass, turned sharply, and fired home with precision. Six minutes later, China's Zhang Yuning broke through one-on-one but saw his shot parried away, and Wei Shihao's follow-up drifted off target.
The match was sealed in the 63rd minute as Henry Heroki Mochizuki unleashed a thunderous long-range strike that left China's goalkeeper with no chance.
China entered the game on the back of a 3-0 loss to hosts South Korea on July 7. Despite the results, there have been bright spots for emerging talents on the roster.
After the final whistle, striker Zhang reflected on his team's performance: "We felt lighter on our feet and more aggressive defensively today. Matches like this are great for our younger players—they grow fast when they play on a big stage."
Caretaker coach Dejan Djurdjevic echoed the positive tone, calling the tournament a fresh starting point. "We've introduced many new faces this cycle. While results haven't gone our way, we've seen promising signs and a clear direction for our future," he said.
Reference(s):
China lose to Japan, suffer second straight loss at East Asian Cup
cgtn.com
