Japan football teams secure opening wins at Asian Games

Japan's national football teams secured victories in their opening matches at the Asian Games.

The Japan U-21 men's team defeated Hong Kong 2-0. Goals were scored by Hisatsugu Ishii and Shuto Nagano. Following the match, Hong Kong manager Cheung Chiu-ta expressed satisfaction with his team's effort and defensive organization using a five-back system, though he noted a significant gap in preparation, mentality, and training levels compared to Asia's top tier.

In women's football, Nadeshiko Japan achieved a dominant 8-0 victory over Thailand. Yoshino Nakajima and Saori Takarada both recorded hat-tricks. Thailand manager Netipon Seethoin expressed shock at the high level of play, describing Japan as a “world-class” team within the top five globally. He noted that the speed of play and decision-making under pressure were the decisive factors in the match.