*This content was translated by AI.
Japanese soccer fans pointed out the current state of Korean soccer.
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.
South Korea, which was embarrassed by Japan's offensive from the beginning of the game, gave Koizumi Kaito the first goal in the 36th minute of the first half. He was aggressive in the second half, but it didn't come to fruition in the end.
It was a one-point score, but the gap in performance was even wider. In preparation for the 2028 LA Olympics, Japan formed the national team with players under the age of 21 (U-21) instead of 23. The average age was lower than that of Korea, but he actually led the game by gaining a technical advantage in the game.
The one-sided flow was evident in the number of shots. Japan hit 10 shots as a result of the end of the first half, but South Korea had only one shot. Even this was a shot off the goal, and he suffered from empty space throughout the first half, failing to record any effective shots.
In Japan, Japan's U-21 defeat of South Korea's U-23 elite seems to be evaluating that the "gap" between the two countries has become more reality.
According to the Japanese 'Sacker Digest' comment, a Japanese netizen said, "The old rough atmosphere has disappeared from Korean players. It is no different from the Japanese players. I think there are only players who play quietly and cutely," he pointed out.
He added, "It is right to say that Korea's defeat is not because of the physical difference in skills, but because it was pushed out of its unique fighting spirit that overwhelmed the opponent."
Another netizen commented, "The two-year difference in this age group is a considerable handicap, but Japan overcame it and won the game completely."
"South Korea's loss to an opponent two years younger than itself would be an indelible humiliation," he said. "In recent years, South Korea and Japan are no longer rivals. Japan is getting stronger, but Korea is getting weaker," he said.
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*This content was translated by AI.
