Niels Nielsen, the head coach of the Japan women's national football team, emphasized learning over disappointment after the 1-1 draw against Korea. Japan focused on 'experience' rather than the result.
Following the official press conference after the second match against Korea in the 2025 EAFF E-1 Championship held on the 13th, Nielsen said, "Today's match was impressive. Both teams had many excellent players participating, and it was an interesting confrontation. I am glad we will meet again in the Asian Cup."
On that day, Japan initially took the lead with a goal from Yui Narumiya, but lost the victory by conceding a goal to Jeong Da-bin in the closing stages. When questioned about game management, Nielsen stated, "I did not want to approach defensively today. I believed that attempts to score a second goal were more important," and added, "However, we conceded a goal in the 83rd minute, and ultimately lost the victory. In the situation of forming a new team, there are many priorities to prepare for."
In particular, the intensity of Korea's pressure and play was a new experience for the Japanese players. Regarding this, Nielsen commented, "For this reason, this tournament is extremely valuable to us," and noted, "The WE League has few intense matches or high-pressure situations. The intensity of today's game by the Korean players was a great stimulus for our players."
He continued, "We are not accustomed to such matches. We need to go back and undergo more high-intensity training. I might need to do it too. I'll probably lose some weight (laughs)," he replied cheerfully.
Additionally, regarding the decision to utilize Miyu Yakata as a fullback in the second half, he explained, "It was a choice based on injury circumstances. Miyu was capable of handling the fullback position, and options were limited."
Finally, Nielsen concluded the press conference by saying, "Although it was a draw, many players showed their potential on their first international stage. As these experiences accumulate, we can become stronger."
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