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The Japanese national soccer team won the first match of the third qualifying round, Japan-China match, with a performance that was clearly different from that of Hong Myung-bo.
Japan won 7-0 in the first Group C match of the 2026 North-China World Cup against China at Saitama Stadium in Tokyo on the 5th (Korea time) thanks to consecutive goals in the first half by Endo Wataru (Liverpool) and Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), multiple goals by Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Daizen Ito (Lance), Daizen Maeda (Celtic) and Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad).
Japan was in the same group as Indonesia, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, led by head coach Shin Tae-yong. The second match of the third qualifying round will be held in Bahrain on the 10th. China, which suffered a crushing defeat in its first game, was given a red flag to advance to the World Cup finals. China is aiming for its first win at home against Saudi Arabia on the 10th.
Japan launched a 3-4-3 formation. 'Hwang In-beom Colleague" Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord) was the one-top, and 'Lee Kang-in's best friend" Kubo Takefusa (Real Sociedad) and Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco) were in charge of the side attack. Doan Ritz (Freiburg) and Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton) are in charge of both wingbacks, while Endo Wataru (Liverpool) and Hidemasa Morita (Sporting) are in charge of the midfield. Koki Machida (Winnion), Shogo Taniguchi (Sintrawidan), and Go Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach) built the three-back. Suzuki Zaion (Parma) defended the goal.
China fought back with a 4-4-2 formation. Zhang Wenning (Beijing Guoan) and Wu Lei (Shanghai River) are in charge of the two-top, while Su Haoyang (Shanghai Shenhua), Jang Song Long (Shanghai Shenhua), Li Yuanyu (Shantung Taishan), and Shi Weneng (Shantung Taishan) have formed midfielders. Yang Jessiang (Shanghai Shenhua), Zhang Guangtai (Shanghai River), Zhu Zie (Shanghai Shenhua), and Liu Yang (Shanghai Shenhua) are in charge of the four-back, while Wang Dal-yi (Shangdong Taishan) wears goalie gloves.
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Japan scored the first goal 12 minutes into the first half. Endo scored a sensational header on the ball that Gubo put up in a corner kick situation. After the first run, China went rough. Yang Jessiang was warned for a deep tackle on Minamino. In the 22nd minute, Zhang Winning's right footed shot went wide over the net. Gubo's left footed shot was directed in front of the goalkeeper.
33 min Japan knocked on the goal once again. Ayase poked a low cross at the gate. Chinese goalkeeper Wang Dal-rey and Japanese midfielder Morita got tangled in the competition with the ball. In the process, Japan claimed that the ball crossed the goal line, and China countered that it did not. The video reading system looked at whether to score or not, and declared no goal.
In the 42nd minute, Mitoma dug into the left side and stabbed a low cross toward the gate, which Morita, who rushed to the gate, connected with a non-stop shot but hit the side net. However, in the second minute of extra time, Japan's Doan stabbed a sensational left-footed cross over the defensive wall at the diagonal point on the right side of the opponent's camp, and Mitoma scored an additional goal with a header.
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China tried to make a difference at half-time by removing Xi Wenning and putting in Gao level. However, he dedicated his third goal in seven minutes. Minamino, who penetrated into the box from the opponent's left side, scored his third goal with a right-footed curl shot that pierced the right corner of the goal after pulling the ball through the Markman crotch.
Minamino made his second and his team's fourth goal six minutes later with a right-footed shot that stole the ball from the opponent's penalty arc and hit the bottom right of the goal. China tried to reverse the situation by investing naturalized resources such as Pei Nanduo (Shandong Taishan) and Alan (Qingdao Wescoast), but it was not easy. Japan also showed the ease of putting Junya Ito (Lance) and Daizen Maeda (Celtic) in the middle of the second half. In the 26th minute of the second half, defender Kota Takai (Kawasaki) born in 2004 and midfielder Ao Tanaka (Liz) were put in.
Junya Ito scored his fifth goal in the 32nd minute of the second half, Maeda scored his sixth goal with a sensational header in the 42nd minute, and Kubo scored his seventh goal in the 5th minute of the second half, marking a 7-0 victory.
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Meanwhile, Australia lost to Bahrain 0-1 at home. Striker in the 32nd minute of the second half when it was 0-0 tight??The game tilted sharply as Kikushini was sent off. Harry Sutar's own goal came in the 44th minute of the second half, just before the end.
yoonjinman@sportschosun.com
