Japan Defeats China 2-0 at East Asian Cup in South Korea

In the 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship held in South Korea, Japan defeated China 2-0, setting up a decisive final match against hosts South Korea for the title. Japan opened the scoring early with Mao Hosoya's strike, followed by a powerful long-range goal from Henry Heroki Mochizuki in the second half, securing their win. China's team showed physical improvement and defensive aggression compared to their earlier 3-0 loss to South Korea, with caretaker coach Dejan Djurdjevic highlighting the tournament as a new beginning featuring many young players gaining valuable experience. Japan's squad, selected solely from domestic J-League players, also featured veteran Yuto Nagatomo's return since the 2022 World Cup. Meanwhile, Hong Kong and China both suffered two consecutive losses, positioning them to contend to avoid last place in the tournament. The competition runs through July 16, with China set to face Hong Kong, and Japan preparing to challenge South Korea for the championship.