Japanese Ingenuity “Punishes” British Indecision

Japan adds to the list of major teams they have defeated in the past four years. Without needing to try too hard or waste opportunities, Japan played cleverly and effectively to conquer their latest hesitant victim, England.

Japan humiliated England in the final friendly match before the 2026 World Cup at Wembley Stadium, Wednesday (1/4/2026) early morning WIB. The hosts may have played dominantly, but the "Blue Samurai," as Japan is nicknamed, emerged victorious with a score of 1-0.

Kaoru Mitoma's solitary goal in the 23rd minute of the match was enough for Japan to defeat England for the first time. Japan also became the first Asian team to conquer "The Three Lions."

For Japan, the result against England marks their 30th victory in 41 matches since the beginning of 2023. Over the past four years, the team coached by Hajime Moriyasu has defeated major teams such as Brazil, Spain, and Germany.

"England is a strong team and we must endure for a long time. However, the players are tenacious and practice how to play patiently when things do not go as we wish," said Moriyasu.

Since losing 0-2 to the United States in September 2025, Japan has maintained an unbeaten record. They drew 2-2 with Paraguay, and then won all subsequent matches against Brazil, Ghana, Bolivia, and Scotland.

In facing England, Japan relies on a 3-4-3 formation when attacking and a 5-4-1 formation when defending as their main system. With this formation, they recorded only 31 percent possession, but were able to maintain disciplined defense for an extended period.

The victory was also influenced by Moriyasu's decision to make several changes to the squad that defeated Scotland 1-0 last week. One of these changes was giving the opportunity to Brighton & Hove Albion winger, Mitoma, to become a starter.

Mitoma became the figure who initiated and completed Japan's counterattack to score a goal. He seized the ball from Cole Palmer in the midfield. Then, within just a few passes, Japan threatened the English goal.

"This win is the moment we were looking for. It gives us a little mental relief," said Mitoma.

In the second half, Japan started better, threatening with direct passes to the flanks. At the end of the match, they were able to withstand England's onslaught. Their goal only appeared truly threatened when England had a set-piece opportunity.

When given the opportunity for a counterattack, it was evident that there was a coordinated effort among the Japanese players to press together against England. With a goal expectation of only 0.78, Japan was able to breach England's goal.

In fact, England, which dominated ball possession, had the opportunity to score at least two goals. However, they instead displayed a game full of uncertainty.

England coach Thomas Tuchel has not found the right solution for the absence of their captain and striker, Harry Kane. Suffering a minor injury during the last training session, Kane is forced to miss the match against Japan.

According to Tuchel, England can win without Harry Kane. However, it is easier to win when Kane is in the team. "Without Harry Kane, we do not have the same threat. Bayern Munich without Harry Kane also does not have the same threat. There is no team in the world that has the same threat without its reliable player. That is normal," said Tuchel.

"Harry's departure means that we not only lose him as a player, but we also lose him as a person. It is always somewhat unsettling when the captain leaves the final training session and exits the squad," he added.

Before facing Japan, England played a friendly against Uruguay. Kane was absent from both matches.

In both matches, England only managed to score one goal through Ben White in the game against Uruguay. Against Japan, they created fewer opportunities in open play.

When facing Uruguay, Tuchel attempted to play simply in the absence of Kane. He deployed a conventional center forward, Dominic Solanke, who worked hard and effectively pressured the opponent's defense.

Solanke was then replaced by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who failed to capitalize on a good opportunity with his header. England needed a set piece to score when Cole Palmer's corner was headed at the near post, and then White rolled the ball over the goal line.

However, Tuchel implemented a different approach against Japan. He didn't field a pure striker. Phil Foden played as a false nine, often dropping back alongside center-forward Cole Palmer, with Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers on the wings.

Tuchel seemed to want to flood the midfield to lure the Japanese defenders and ultimately attack through the empty spaces. However, this strategy did not prove effective.

The players in attacking positions appeared confused, losing direction. They were uncertain about where to run or where the next pass should be directed. England hardly created any opportunities in open play.

England's uncertainty without Kane is not a new issue. When England lost 1-2 to Greece at Wembley in 2024, a similar uncertainty was the cause.

With Kane injured, the England coach at the time, Lee Carsley, fielded Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Palmer, Gordon, and Bukayo Saka. The result was chaotic. The players struggled without Kane, who could serve as the focal point of their play.

Together with Muenchen, Kane has had an extraordinary season, scoring 31 goals in the Bundesliga and a total of 48 goals across all competitions. This level of productivity is difficult for other English players to match.

So far, Palmer has scored nine goals in the English Premier League. Meanwhile, Rogers has netted eight goals, Foden seven, and both Saka and Gordon have scored six goals each.

"We can win the match without Harry. We will win without Harry, we have won without him but it is easier to win the match with Harry," said Tuchel. (AP/REUTERS)