*This content was translated by AI.
What is more painful than simply the result of 'losing' is the result content. South Korean soccer has kneeled perfectly in all indicators of soccer, including skills, skills, and game management, to "enemy" Japan. They were even "siblings" two years younger than us.
The U-23 national soccer team, led by head coach Lee Min-sung, lost 0-1 to Japan in the semifinals of the "2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup" at 8:30 p.m. on the 20th (Korea time) at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
South Korea, which failed to advance to the final, will play the 3rd and 4th places at the Prince Abdullah Al Faizal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah at 0 a.m. on the 24th.
On the other hand, Japan, which reached the final, is trying to win its second consecutive title for the first time in the tournament. He is also aiming for the most wins (3 times) in the tournament following 2016 and 2024.
The score difference was one goal, but the difference in skills was more than that. In preparation for the 2028 LA Olympics, Japan formed a team of players under the U-21s, not under the U-23. South Korea was an "old brother" and Japan was an "old brother," but as the game began, Japan had a technical advantage.
The most regrettable thing was the number of shots. As a result of the end of the first half, Japan had 10 shower shots, while South Korea had only one. It was not an effective shot, but only one shot off the goal.
The difference in basic skills has also been revealed. The Japanese players easily exited South Korea's pressure with their flexible ball touch and concise passes. However, South Korea easily failed the opportunity to attack by itself or gave up possession of the ball with a rough ball touch.
The winning goal given to Koizumi Kaito in the 36th minute of the first half was also the result of Japan's detailed promised play. The South Korean defense lost its attention to Japan's systematic movements and missed the rushing player.
In the second half, South Korea tried to counterattack by raising the line late, but the attack, which lacked detail, was difficult to penetrate Japan's solid defense.
It was a game that showed that the past habit of making up for technological inferiority with determination and physical strength did not work.
In fact, the disaster was predicted from the group stage. He exposed his anxiety early on by losing helplessly to Uzbekistan, a powerhouse in Central Asia. It reached the semifinals, but its organizational power and power eventually showed limitations.
With the result of failing to advance to the finals, South Korea has a bitter homework that needs to be re-established from the basics to become an "Asian leader." South Korea, which failed to score a single goal against Japan, two years younger, was disastrous.
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*This content was translated by AI.
