U-23 Asian Cup review: Despite struggling after a sending-off, Matsuki goal keeps Japan on course for Paris

The AFC U-23 Asian Cup, which pits teams against each other for a place at the Paris Olympics, kicked off in Qatar on 15 April. The top three finishers in the tournament will qualify automatically for the Olympics, while the fourth-placed side will proceed to an intercontinental play-off against Guinea, the fourth-placed African qualifier.

Japan, which is aiming to participate in its eighth consecutive Games, was drawn in the same group as China, UAE and South Korea, with the first match against China taking place on 16 April.

In that game, against the side regarded as the weakest in the group, Japan went on the offensive from the outset. Central midfielder Kuryu Matsuki (FC Tokyo) was using the ball well in advanced positions, while left-winger Yu Hirakawa (Machida Zelvia) also provided impetus for Japan with his daring moves.

Eight minutes after kick-off, a moment of joy arrived. Fuki Yamada (Tokyo Verdy) sent in a sharp cross from the right, and Matsuki dived in to meet it with his left foot to open the scoring. Japan were off to an auspicious start.

The game continued at Japan’s pace until an incident occurred in the 17th minute when centre-back Ryuya Nishio (Cerezo Osaka) was sent off for rough play off the ball after an intervention VAR.

With 10 men, from then on Japan was forced to be patient. In the 38th minute, China captain Tao Qianglong hit the bar with a mid-range strike, and four minutes later he almost scored from a cross. Leo Brian Kokubo (Benfica) stood his ground though, with the young Japanese goalkeeper, who plays in Portugal, doing very well to repel Tao’s header from close range.

Kokubo also used his long reach to win a one-on-one with an opponent early in the second half. Without these two big interventions, Japan might have been caught flat-footed by China.

20-year-old Kuryu Matsuki, who stood out alongside keeper Kokubo, shows his strength

With regards to outfielders, meanwhile, Matsuki was a standout performer. Not only did he score the opener, but he also made use of his physical strength to push forward when outnumbered and created chances with his accurate passing.

He was a constant presence both offensively and defensively, covering every inch of the pitch for the full 90 minutes and never losing his intensity, including leading a counter attack after a sharp interception.

”I thought it was going to be tough to defend for that length of time because of the early dismissal, but we fought hard and defended well,” Matsuki, who performed so well could be called man-of-the-match alongside Kokubo, proudly reflected.

“It would have been nice to get another goal from a set piece, but I think we showed our strength.”

Indeed, Japan responded tenaciously despite going down to 10 men and continued to look for opportunities to add to their tally when they saw an opening.

Although no further goals were ultimately scored, Japan held on for a vital three points in their crucial first match.

Nishio’s play was certainly thoughtless. There is no denying that they made the game difficult for themselves. Still, the fact that Japan secured all three points despite their struggles is the most important thing.

Of course, there is no time for relief, with the second game against UAE coming right up on 19 April.