It was unexpected that the Japanese men's football team, known as the pinnacle of Asian football, failed to reach the semi-finals. Even more surprising was the fact that Chinese fans were happier than Iranian fans about Japan's elimination, with various taunts and mockery, as if it was the Chinese team that had advanced to the semi-finals instead of Iran.
Iran defeated Japan 2-1 to advance to the semi-finals of the Asian Cup. There's no denying that this is a fact, and Iran's performance in the match was indeed impressive. However, to be fair, Iran's victory was an unexpected surprise, with Jahanbakhsh's penalty kick securing their win. Additionally, there were several reasons why Japan didn't progress further, including their goalkeeper, coach, and the referee on duty.
After the Asian Cup, every team in Asia would know that Japan's goalkeeper, Suzuki Ayaka, is their biggest weakness, even a fatal flaw. All one needs to do against Japan is shoot as much as possible, as there's always a chance to score with their poor goalkeeper, who performs so badly that it's appalling.
How cowardly is Suzuki Ayaka? We can see from his performance at the Asian Cup. This Japanese goalkeeper has conceded goals in every match since the start of the tournament, unable to escape unscathed even against Vietnam. Instead of being a goalkeeper, he's like a ticking time bomb behind the Japanese team, capable of destroying them at any moment. Iran managed to equalize thanks in part to Suzuki's kick-off, which allowed them to launch a quick counterattack and score.
Besides Suzuki's factor, another reason for Japan's halt was their coach, who played a good hand poorly. Moriyasu Maki's conservative approach saw him bench players like Minamino Takumi and Inagaki Kaoru against the Iranian "Persian Cavalry," while the error-prone Kubo Takefusa remained a regular starter. Japan didn't fail due to lack of skill but self-destruction. The unexpected departure of Itakura Daichi also meant Japan didn't live up to their status in this match.
Moreover, the referee's decisions were a significant factor in Japan's loss, especially in the first half. The Chinese referee's calls were clearly unfavorable to Japan, ignoring obvious fouls. This unfair refereeing emboldened Iran, who ultimately faced no consequences for their rough play, while Japan received two yellow cards.
Some Chinese fans defined Japan's performance post-match as inadequate, believing that long passes could easily defeat the Japanese team, laughing off the idea as absurd. The quality of football reflects the type of fans it attracts.
Japan's men's football team is indeed not performing well, as Western media has labeled them as an "animated" team. Even Son Heung-min's father publicly stated that compared to Japan, South Korea lacks the ability to win the championship, with a noticeable gap in technical prowess.
Japan's men's football team is not performing well, and neither is China's. Saying so should satisfy you, but why don't even Vietnamese media take China's team seriously? Why, out of the 24 teams in the Asian Cup, are only two without goals scored, including China's national team? Where does your confidence to mock Japan come from? I'm genuinely curious. Now, you're bowing down to Iran, but don't forget that Iran has been a thorn in the side of Chinese football for many years, repeatedly dominating your team.