News Focus
- Japan secure hard-fought draw against Netherlands in Group stage clash
- South Korea and Australia claim surprise victories over Czech Republic and Turkey
- Qatar earn unexpected point against Switzerland despite heavy defensive pressure
- Coach Hajime Moriyasu declares Japan possess quality to win tournament title
- Four AFC teams remain unbeaten against European opposition after opening fixtures
Japan’s Daichi Kamada scored a late equaliser against the Netherlands on Sunday. This goal ensured the final result matched the balance of play. It also extended an impressive run. Teams from the Asian Football Confederation have now faced European sides four times at this tournament without defeat.
We should not make final judgments after only one week of matches. However, if world football is witnessing a power shift, these results show what it looks like.
South Korea started this trend on the opening day. They defeated the Czech Republic with ease. The Korean players passed the ball around their opponents smoothly. The Czech team appeared slow and heavy. They relied only on long throws and set pieces. South Korea controlled the match completely. Son Heung-min did not play at his best level. If he had been in top form, the victory margin would have been larger.
Australia also beat a European team. They defeated Turkey in a tense fixture. Turkey reached the World Cup through difficult playoff matches. They attacked constantly during the game. However, Australia followed a smart tactical plan. Their goalkeeper, Patrick Beach, made eight excellent saves. The statistics suggest Turkey dominated. In reality, Australia deserved their success.
Qatar gained a point against Switzerland. Their approach was different. They defended deeply throughout the match. Switzerland missed many clear chances. They scored one penalty through Breel Embolo. This goal came after a controversial offside decision. Qatar scored in injury time. Miro Muheim put the ball into his own net. The Swiss team had 26 shots while Qatar only had six. On another day, Switzerland would have won easily.
The most fascinating match was Japan against the Netherlands. Japan played without three important players. Kaoru Mitoma, Wataru Endo and Takumi Minamino all missed the game. Despite this, Japan performed brilliantly. The match between Brazil and Morocco was the only other heavyweight clash so far. Both games ended in draws. In both fixtures, the developing nations looked stronger than the established powers.
Morocco played with confidence and smooth passing. Japan also showed great intelligence. They changed positions frequently. They only had forty percent possession. Yet their attacks were precise and purposeful. They played like the Dutch teams of previous generations. Most importantly, they showed no fear.
The Japan coach, Hajime Moriyasu, has spoken about this mental strength recently. He worries his players struggle to progress beyond the last sixteen. To solve this, he tells them they can become world champions. This might be a psychological trick. However, if the Netherlands can win the title, why not Japan?
Keito Nakamura scored the first goal from left wing-back. He completed ninety percent of his passes. Defender Hiroki Ito also reached this accuracy level. Zion Suzuki played in goal. The twenty-three-year-old may become Japan’s finest ever goalkeeper. Ayase Ueda struggled as centre-forward. He failed to influence the game. Yet he proved his quality at Feyenoord last season.
In previous tournaments, Asian teams sometimes lacked belief against European opposition. This attitude has changed. Japan celebrated their equaliser with passion. They also showed clear disappointment when they fell behind. Both Japan and Morocco have advanced significantly. Teams now fear playing them as much as facing Brazil or the Netherlands.
Four matches cannot prove a permanent change. However, the best Asian teams are clearly moving closer to Europe’s top sides.