China Faces Tough Loss Against Japan in World Cup Qualifier ⚽️
Hey soccer fans! On Tuesday, China played against Japan in an important soccer match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers (that’s the tournament where teams try to earn a spot in the World Cup!). The game took place in Xiamen, a city in southeast China.
It was a challenging game for China, and they lost 3-1 to Japan. Let’s find out what happened!
First Half Highlights 🥅
For the first 30 minutes, both teams tried hard, but nobody scored. Then, in the 39th minute, Japan scored their first goal! A player named Koki Ogawa headed the ball into China’s goal after a corner kick.
Just before halftime, Japan scored again. This time, Koki Machida passed the ball with his head to Ko Itakura, who made it 2-0 for Japan.
China Fights Back 💪
At the start of the second half, China didn’t give up! In the 48th minute, Wei Shihao made a great pass to Lin Liangming, who kicked the ball into Japan’s goal. Goal! China was now behind by just one goal.
But Japan quickly responded. Six minutes later, Junya Ito crossed the ball, and Koki Ogawa scored again with a header. That made the score 3-1.
Working Hard Until the End 🏃♂️
China kept trying their best to score more goals. In the 70th minute, Wei Shihao almost scored after dribbling past defenders, but the shot didn’t go in.
After the game, China’s coach, Branko Ivankovic, said he was proud of his players for working hard. He mentioned they need to focus more on defending during corner kicks.
What’s Next? 🌍
This game was part of Group C in the qualifiers. Japan is now leading the group. Other teams in the group include Australia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.
Even though China is currently at the bottom of the group, there’s still time to improve. Let’s cheer them on in their next games! 🎉
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
