The U-21 Japan national team lost 0-2 to U-21 Spain in an international friendly held in Almendralejo on Friday.
Despite creating several scoring opportunities, the squad led by manager Tsuyoshi Oiwa failed to find the net against the Spanish side. The defeat comes as the team continues its preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Japan’s attack, led by captain Kento Shiobayai, struggled to convert dominance into goals. Early in the match, Shiobayai attempted a long-range shot from the right side of the penalty area, but it was caught by Spanish goalkeeper Bruno Iriarte, according to Soccer Digest Web.
In the 10th minute, Shiobayai provided a through ball to Yuki Saito, who was unable to finalize the chance, as reported by Yahoo! News. Saito, playing as a left winger in a 4-3-3 formation, continued to pressure the defense throughout the game, including a powerful strike and a header, but the Spanish goalkeeper remained a barrier to a Japanese breakthrough, noted Nikkan Sports.
In the second half, Saito moved to the right wing to create chances through vertical breakthroughs and crosses, though he was eventually substituted in the 33rd minute of the second half.
Spain opened the scoring in the 22nd minute following a defensive error. Rei Umeki attempted a header to connect with a long ball, but the ball was intercepted by Alarcon, who subsequently scored, Soccer Digest Web reported. Japan conceded a second goal in the 89th minute of the match to finalize the 0-2 scoreline.
Shiobayai, the Wolfsburg striker who wore the captain’s armband, expressed a sense of accountability regarding his recent form and the team’s standing. Having recently transitioned from the senior national team to the U-21 squad, he viewed the match as a way to test himself against top-level opposition.
He said that while he had recently scored for the senior team against Uruguay, he was now focused on proving himself in the U-21 environment to regain his standing.
Saito also reflected on the difficulty of converting chances, drawing parallels to his experience at the U-20 World Cup, where he played in a Round of 16 match against France. He emphasized the necessity of clinical finishing for players looking to move up to the senior level.
“I lost because I missed [the chances] today. A player who decides it here can go one level higher. It felt a bit like the France match at the U-20 World Cup,” Saito said, as cited by Yahoo! News.
Manager Tsuyoshi Oiwa characterized the match as a mixture of tactical failures and developmental successes. He said that the team’s inability to maintain aggressive defensive positioning in the first half led to the early deficit. Oiwa, who is scheduled to begin concurrent management of the senior national team in March of next year, said that this tour is his final assignment exclusively for the U-21 generation.
Oiwa added that the level of competition was essential for the age group to develop the consistency required to compete globally, Nikkan Sports reported.
The U-21 Japan national team will now travel to Egypt to continue their international tour. They are scheduled to face the U-21 Egypt national team in Cairo on November 17, according to Saga Shimbun.