Although Japan took the field in the second round of group matches in Group B, making seven moves in the regular lineup, it was still possible to take a 2. The :0 win over the UAE has allowed the team to advance to the knockout rounds before entering the final round of group matches.
In this win, I was pleased to see the Blue Knights improve their performance on offense and defense. They created a lot of opportunities to get into the waves, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them win by a larger margin.
The Japan-Korea rivalry has been pretty tight, but I think Japan may lead the team in this uphill battle with Yamamoto's calm and collected performance.
South Korea's qualification for the knockout stage was also sealed after a 2-0 win over China last time out.
At the beginning of the game, Taejido had a little hole in the defense, so he was under pressure. Luckily for the team, Lee Young-joon proved once again that he is the star scorer on the team, helping his team win the game for the second time in May. And he has scored a total of three goals so far in this year's tournament.
Defensively, they are still inconsistent, so the defense needs to be adjusted. However, with Lee Young-joon leading the way up front, they are definitely capable of posing a threat when counterattacking on offense.
Although both sides have already advanced, the winner will be able to determine the qualification for the first place in the group. Based on South Korea's defensive issues, I think Japan should be strong enough to win this battle and get 3 points.
