South Korea vs Japan
South Korea and Japan, two of the strongest teams in this year’s EAFF E-1 Football Championship, are set to go head-to-head at Yongin Mireu Stadium this Tuesday for essentially the East Asian trophy.
The hosts have a head start with two consecutive wins against Hong Kong (2-0) and China (3-0), so they are on top of the pile with six points. On the other hand, Japan have beaten Hong Kong 6-1, so they’re in second place with three points and a game in hand. Hajime Moriyasu’s side can make it six later because they have a winnable match against China. According to the SBOTOP EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2025 odds, the Samurai Blue are 1.09 favourites to win, while China are massive 16.50 underdogs, and a draw is a long shot at 9.60 in the 1X2 market.
China and Hong Kong are out of contention because both teams have zero points, which leaves us with the final showdown between South Korea and Japan, and we expect a tight contest between these two powerhouses.
Talking Points
Hong Myung-Bo mixes it up for South Korea
South Korea head coach Hong Myung-Bo has used the EAFF E-1 Football Championship to experiment with different formations and lineups, and it hasn’t cost them so far. The Taeguk Warriors went with a 5-4-1 lineup against China, which yielded a 3-0 win, and a 3-4-3 lineup in their 2-0 win over Hong Kong. According to reports, Hong could stick with the back-three formation for the foreseeable future, as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup.
Hong also used this time to integrate some of their younger local players since most of their European contingent did not partake in this tournament. Among them are Kang Sang-Yoon and Lee Ho-Jae.
Kang and Lee beat themselves up when they missed out on chances to score their first international goal after coming off the bench against China. Then on Friday, Kang got his first international start and scored the team’s first goal against Hong Kong, while Lee scored his during the second half. Both have yet to reach 25 years old, so time is on their side to continue to improve.
Besides Kang and Lee, Seo Min-Woo, Mo Jae-Hyeon, Kim Bong-Soo, and Lee Seung-Won also made their international debuts for South Korea this week, making this an exciting time for the fans since they will help the national team program moving forward.
Ryo is Japan’s hitman
Ryo Germain has put everyone on notice following his four-goal performance against Hong Kong, and it was the perfect way to debut for the Japanese national team. The 30-year-old striker scored goals in a variety of ways, first with a left-footed volley in the fourth minute, a diving header in the 10th minute, another left-footed finish in the 22nd minute, and a right-footed tap-in during the 26th minute. Because of his ability to create EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2025 highlights, he should be on top of South Korea’s scouting report.
Ryo linked up with fellow debutants Yuki Kakita and Taisei Miyashiro in the final third of their 3-4-3 formation, and it’s safe to assume that head coach Hajime Moriyasu will likely stick to the same formation on Tuesday.
History
South Korea are the winningest team in the history of the EAFF E-1 Football Championship. The Taeguk Warriors have a total of five titles (2003, 2008, 2015, 2017, and 2019), two runners-up (2010 and 2022), one third-place finish (2013), and one fourth-place finish (2005). On the other hand, Japan have two titles (2013 and 2022), five runners-up (2003, 2005, 2008, 2017, and 2019), one third-place finish (2010), and one fourth-place finish (2015). China are level with Japan with two titles (2005 and 2010), and no other team has won the whole thing.
Tuesday marks the 90th meeting between South Korea and Japan in international football. The Taeguk Warriors have a significant edge in the overall head-to-heads with 53 wins, while the Samurai Blue have 15 wins and 21 draws. However, Japan hold a two-game winning streak over South Korea heading into this contest, notching consecutive 3-0 results during an international friendly in March 2021 and the 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship, which effectively won them the title.
The EAFF E-1 Football Championship is a men’s international football competition for member nations of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF). Its purpose is to improve the quality of football in the East Asian region, and at one point, Australia were invited to take part in the 2013 tournament despite not being part of the federation.
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