On a memorable football night in Jeddah, the Japanese national team was crowned champion of the AFC U-23 Championship 2026, hosted by Saudi Arabia, after achieving a resounding and well-deserved 4-0 victory over their Chinese counterparts in the final match held on Saturday at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium.
Japanese dominance and a new history
With this resounding victory, the "Blue Samurai" continue to make history in Asia, achieving their third title in the tournament's history, and the second in a row after winning the 2016 and 2024 editions. This achievement reflects the strength of the football development system in Japan, which continues to produce young talents capable of competing at the highest levels, thus consolidating Japan's position as a superpower in Asian football.
The goals came courtesy of Yuto Ozeki in the 12th minute, Kosei Ogura who scored twice in the 20th and 76th minutes, and Ryunosuke Sato who added a penalty in the 59th minute. This victory was not just a fluke; it was a display of the tactical and physical prowess of the Japanese national team against the ambitions of the Chinese Dragon.
Match details and field control
Both teams started the match at a fast pace, with Japan launching an early attack, threatening the Chinese goal in the fifth minute through a shot by Uchi Nwadiki. Despite China's attempt to respond quickly with a header from Xiang Yuan, Japan's organized play proved more effective.
Japan opened the scoring in the 12th minute after a brilliant team move that culminated in Yuto Ozeki's shot deceiving the goalkeeper. Just minutes later, Kosei Ogura doubled the lead, capitalizing on a defensive blunder in the 20th minute. In the second half, Japan continued their pressure, earning a penalty which Sato converted successfully, before Ogura completed the scoring in the 76th minute following a swift tactical exchange.
The Champions' Journey and Third Place
Japan's path to the title wasn't easy, but it was filled with convincing victories. The team topped Group B with a perfect record (9 points) after clean sheets against Syria, the UAE, and Qatar. They then narrowly defeated Jordan on penalties in the quarterfinals and eliminated South Korea with a 1-0 victory in the semifinals.
In contrast, the Chinese team deserves credit for reaching the final after a hard-fought performance in the previous rounds, finishing second in their group and eliminating Uzbekistan and Vietnam in the knockout stages. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese team achieved a remarkable feat by securing third place and the bronze medal after a thrilling 7-6 penalty shootout victory over South Korea, following a 2-2 draw.
It is worth noting that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of this tournament comes within the framework of a broad sporting movement in the Kingdom, confirming its high ability to organize major continental and global events, and to provide a distinguished infrastructure that contributes to the development of Asian football.
