Chinese soccer, which was defeated by Japan's third squad, was in shock.
The Chinese national soccer team, led by head coach Dejan Jurejevic, suffered a 0-2 defeat to Japan in the second match of the 2025 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship held at Yongin Mir Stadium on the afternoon of the 12th.
China has now lost to Japan after a 0-3 defeat to Korea. Throughout the tournament, China has not scored a single goal. China will face Hong Kong, which has also recorded two losses, in a must-win match on the 15th.
Chinese media also erupted over the national team's poor performance. 'Sohu.com' noted, "China suffered a regrettable 0-2 loss to the strongest team in Asia, Japan. In the East Asian Cup, China has not secured a victory in 10 matches against Japan, recording 5 draws and 5 losses. This hex is like a bandage that cannot be peeled off."
China also had opportunities. Forward Zhang Yuning faced the goalkeeper one-on-one but squandered the chance. 'Sohu.com' stated, "Fans remarked that they thought Zhang Yuning was running barefoot after removing his soccer shoes." Candidate for AFC Best Defender, Zhang Chenglong appeared flustered like a rookie. The two center-backs were poor. They also displayed a disastrous performance against Korea."
China has fallen into a state of lethargy after consecutive losses to Korea and Japan. There is no guarantee that they will win against Hong Kong either. 'Sohu.com' lamented, "With Japan and Korea both securing back-to-back victories, they occupy the first and second places. The gap between these two countries and China is deeper than the Mariana Trench."
The Mariana Trench is the deepest trench on earth, with a depth exceeding 10 km. Chinese soccer has fallen into a deep bog from which it cannot escape.
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