At the international football friendly match on January 1, Beijing time, football fans experienced a night of magnificence. Japan, ranked 17th in the world, swept Thailand 5-0 to make it eight wins in a row. The national football team suffered a counterattack in the match with Hong Kong, China, and finally lost 1-2. On this night, the madness on the football field was exciting.
Japan has won 8 consecutive games, and the biggest favorite for the Asian Cup championship has surfaced.
Japan struggled to break through their opponents' defenses in the first half against Thailand, but launched a strong counter-attack in the second half. Tanaka's mid-range effort broke the deadlock in the 50th minute, before Nakamura eased to double the lead with a stoppage, while the Thai player accidentally kicked the ball into his own net while clearing, conceding two goals in two minutes. In the end, Takumu Kawamura's header and Takumi Minamino's goal in stoppage time gave Japan a 5-0 thrashing of Thailand for their ninth win before the Asian Cup.
The victory not only kept Japan strong ahead of the Asian Cup, but also proved that they are still one of the strongest teams in Asian football, even if they don't play all the time. Japan are set to be the favourites to win the Asian Cup, and their quality is beyond the reach of other Asian teams.
The lead of the national football team was counterattacked, and three were sent off with red cards.
At the same time, the Chinese national football team took the lead in the match against Hong Kong, but suffered a serious counterattack in the second half. Only 9 minutes into the opening game, Wu Lei's shot in the penalty area was blocked, and Tan Long's supplementary shot helped the national football team get off to a dream start. But in the second half, the situation of the national football team changed drastically. Substitute Poon Pui Hin scored two goals in a row to reverse the score, and finally the Chinese national football team lost 1-2 to Hong Kong, China.
What's even more shocking is that the national football team received red cards one after another in the game and was sent off, Wang Shangyuan, assistant coach and Wu Shaocong were sent off in the 56th, 63rd and 72nd minutes respectively. This made the national football team face the dilemma of 9 against 11 in the second half of the game, and finally suffered a 1-2 reversal. This situation is unbelievable in friendly matches.
The national junior team won a key victory in Japan.
In another matchup, the Chinese national junior team experienced twists and turns in Japan's training, but finally ushered in a crucial victory in the final game. First of all, the national junior team played against the U16 team of Momoyama Gakuen High School, although the first game was lost, but considering that it was the first game away, this defeat was not unexpected. Next, they drew with the U16 team of Joshosha High School, and the next defeat was against the U16 team of Heungkook High School. In the last game, against the Osaka Sakura West School U15 team, the national junior team won with a score of 3-2.
This victory is very important for the national junior team, not only the first win away from home in Japan, but also an affirmation of the team's enterprising spirit. Despite suffering two defeats in the first three games, the national junior team showed a spirit of unity and hard work on the night, planting seeds of hope for future matches.
The national football team prepares for the Asian Cup with one win and two losses in three matches.
Back to the national team, the national football team has a record of 1 win and 2 losses in the warm-up matches preparing for the Asian Cup. First, they beat UAE Regional Sports 5-1 and then beat Asia's ninth-ranked Oman men's football team 0-2. However, in the first game of 2024, the national football team suffered an unexpected reversal, losing 1-2 to Hong Kong, China. This match cast a shadow over the national football team's preparation for the Asian Cup, forcing the team to make deeper reflections and adjustments in the coming time.
Epilogue. On this night, Asian football fans were full of joy and loss emotions. Japan are the favourites in the Asian Cup with eight straight wins, while the Chinese national football team has experienced an incredible comeback in a friendly match. The national junior team ushered in a key victory in the Japanese training, laying a solid foundation for future development. With the Asian Cup just around the corner, football fans will continue to follow the performances of the teams and look forward to more exciting moments. On this night, the charm of football was once again on display, and it made for an unforgettable night of party.