South Korea's under-23 football team suffered a 1-0 defeat to Japan in the semifinals of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, ending their bid for the title. Kaito Koizumi's goal gave Japan the lead, which South Korea pressed hard in the second half but failed to overcome. The team will now play the loser of the Vietnam-China semifinal for third place.
South Korea's under-23 football team saw their campaign end with a 1-0 loss to Japan in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 (local time). Coached by Lee Min-sung, the team aimed for their first title since 2020 and first semifinal appearance since then, but fell short against a youthful Japanese side.
Japan took the lead in the 36th minute through Kaito Koizumi, who capitalized on a rebound after Shuto Nagano's header from Ryunosuke Sato's corner was saved by goalkeeper Hong Seong-min. South Korea managed just one shot in the first half compared to Japan's 10, appearing timid early on.
The Koreans ramped up pressure after halftime, outshooting Japan 7-2, but couldn't break through. Jang Seok-hwan's left-footed strike from outside the box hit the crossbar in the 58th minute, their closest chance. Four minutes later, Kang Seong-jin's scissors kick forced a strong save from Rui Araki. In stoppage time, Kim Tae-won hit the side netting after a long ball from Jang.
Coach Lee Min-sung reflected post-match: "I think our players were too timid in the first half. We fought back in the second, but it's a shame we didn't score." He added, "We addressed the pressing issue upfront, but ultimately, you have to score to win in football. We need to improve there."
Japan fielded a squad of under-20 players, including three 18-year-olds, with an eye on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, another U-23 event. South Korea's roster was older, featuring several 22-year-olds and only two teenagers. The Koreans failed to score in three of their five tournament matches.
South Korea will now face the loser of the other semifinal between Vietnam, coached by South Korean Kim Sang-sik, and China—who beat Vietnam 3-0 with goals from Peng Xiao, Xiang Yuwang, and Wang Yudong—in the third-place match on Friday at 6 p.m. local time (midnight Friday in South Korea). Lee plans a balanced approach: "We're not going all-in on attack or sitting back defensively; we'll focus on the right balance." Vietnam, undefeated until the semifinal, had a strong run, topping Group A and edging the UAE 3-2 in extra time in the quarterfinals under Kim, who led them to multiple titles in 2025.
