Was the loss to Japan so regrettable? Legendary manager from Manchester United suffers debut defeat, saying "The game content and result were different"... Now faces Korea

*This content was translated by AI.

Looking only at the score, it was a 1-3 crushing defeat. However, Diego Forlán, the legendary former Manchester United player and now head coach of the Uruguay national team, received a different evaluation from local media. They noted that the goal difference was far too large compared to the actual game content.

On the 24th, Uruguay lost 1-3 to Japan in a friendly match for the 2026 Kirin Challenge Cup held at Miyagi Stadium in Japan.

This was the first evaluation match played after the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America and the first game under Forlán as head coach of the Uruguay Seong In (CEO) team.

Judging by the score alone, it appeared to be a complete victory for Japan.

However, the flow of the match was different.

Uruguay conceded an early goal in the 12th minute of the first half but equalized through Maximiliano Araujo (Sporting CP) in the 42nd minute, ending the first half at 1-1.

The tightly contested match continued until the final moments of regular time.

The momentum shifted dramatically during stoppage time in the second half. In the first minute of stoppage time, Kento Shiogai (VfL Wolfsburg) scored Japan's second goal, and five minutes later, Ayase Ueda (LOSC Lille) added a third to seal the victory.

Uruguay held firm at 1-1 for nearly 90 minutes but conceded consecutive goals in the final stages of the match, ultimately bowing out with a 1-3 defeat.

No wonder local media also noted that there was a discrepancy between the final score and the actual game content.

Uruguayan media outlet 'El País' reported, "Uruguay played a match that did not fully reflect in the scoreline," adding, "The flow of the game was quite tight, and Uruguay left a good impression in several aspects."

It further emphasized, "The result was far more lopsided than the actual flow of the match suggested."

Forlán's thoughts were similar to those.

After the match, he said, "I knew it would be a difficult game. Japan prefers organized combination play and is a team that clearly reflects the style of the coach leading the Oh Raet-dong-an (CEO) team."

He continued, "It was a very tight match. It's regrettable that Japan took advantage of the opportunities they created in stoppage time to secure the victory."

His disappointment was even more evident regarding the final score.

Coach Forlán stated, "The result is truly disappointing. Considering the game content over nearly 90 minutes, the goal difference was quite large," and emphasized, "We created several scoring opportunities in both halves."

He added, "Such things happen in football. Sometimes what actually happens on the field does not directly reflect in the result. But this is football, and we must accept it."

The first match ended in defeat. Now, Coach Forlán's focus turns to Korea.

Uruguay will play a friendly match against South Korea at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 28th. This will be the second game under Forlán's leadership.

Earlier, South Korea secured a 3-0 victory over Ecuador, marking a successful start to the interim coaching tenure of Roberto Moreno.

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*This content was translated by AI.