Highlights of the World Qualifier Asian Zone 12 tournament
In a closely fought Asian Qualifying Round 12 match, Japan narrowly beat China 1-0 to pick up their first win in the group stage. After two rounds of intense competition, the Japanese team secured the fourth place in Group B.
After the match, Japan's central midfielder Yuya Osako lamented, "This game was exceptionally tough, but at this stage of the season, every game is not easy. I am very happy that we finally won today, and I hope the team can continue the winning momentum in the next month."
Another Japanese player, Jun Ito, also added: "Before the match, I foresaw that China would use a 5-guard tactic, and we knew exactly how to break through their defense. There were gaps in the Chinese wing backs and I did a pretty good job on the defensive end when I assisted that goal. I used my speed to create space for the pass."
Japan's captain, Maya Yoshida, on the other hand, expressed his views on the content and result of the match: "I'm not too happy with the content and result of the match, but 3 points are the most crucial. We faced great difficulties in the first half, and the Chinese team defended with all their might. In the second half China replaced naturalized Brazilian players and the tempo seemed to be controlled by them, fortunately we were able to hold them down in the end."
