China’s national football team suffered their second consecutive defeat at the 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship, falling 2-0 to defending champions Japan in Yongin, South Korea, on Saturday.
Japan took an early lead in the 11th minute when Mao Hosoya connected with a pass from Satoshi Tanaka, turning swiftly to fire the ball into the net. China had an opportunity to equalize six minutes later when Zhang Yuning broke free one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his shot was saved. Wei Shihao’s attempt on the rebound went wide.
In the 63rd minute, Henry Heroki Mochizuki sealed the victory for Japan with a powerful long-range strike, extending their lead to 2-0.
This defeat follows China’s 3-0 loss to hosts South Korea in the tournament’s opening match on July 7.
After the game, Zhang Yuning reflected on the team’s performance, saying, “Overall, we felt lighter on our feet and more aggressive defensively today. Most importantly, matches like this are valuable experience for the younger players—it’s a great opportunity for them to grow by playing on a big stage.”
China’s caretaker coach Dejan Djurdjevic viewed the tournament as a new beginning for the national team. “We’ve brought in many new players during this cycle. While we can’t say we’re satisfied, we’ve seen promising signs,” he commented. “Some young players have shown their skills on the field, indicating a clear direction for the future development of the national team.”
