LIVE semi-final U23 Japan 1-0 U23 South Korea on January 20th
Live coverage of the U23 Japan vs U23 South Korea match (6:30 PM, January 20th) – Updates on the match between Japan and South Korea in the semi-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.
Match information: Japan U23 vs South Korea U23
Time: 6:30 PM today, Tuesday, January 20, 2026 (Vietnam time).
Location: King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Nature: Semi-final match of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.
Live stream channel:TV360,VTV5
Match report between Japan U23 vs South Korea U23
90+4' | Japan U23 advances to the final
The referee blew the final whistle, and U23 Japan defeated U23 South Korea 1-0 to secure their place in the U23 Asian Championship final.
90' | Injury time
With 4 minutes of added time in the second half, the South Korean U23 team had very little time left to find an equalizer.
80' | Tight game
Japan U23 focused on defense, leaving South Korea U23 struggling.
73' | Missed!
Jung Seung Bae dribbled the ball and took a shot from a tight angle, but the ball hit the edge of the net.
62' | South Korea U23 misses chance to equalize
From a distance of just 7 meters, Kang Seong Jin unleashed a quick volley, but goalkeeper Rui Akari reacted quickly to save the goal for Japan U23.
58' | The crossbar saves South Korea U23 from conceding a goal.
Jang Seok Hwan unleashed a daring long-range shot from over 30 meters, the ball flying dangerously and hitting the crossbar of the South Korean U23 goal.
53' | South Korea U23 misses chance to equalize
Kang Seong Jin took a shot from an awkward position, but the ball went wide of the U23 Japan goal from a very close distance.
52' | Sato tries his luck from afar
After a skillful dribble, Sato unleashed a powerful long-range shot, but the ball went wide of the South Korean U23 goal.
47' | Missed one-on-one opportunity
Ryunosuke Sato broke through to face the South Korean U23 goalkeeper, but his final touch resulted in him pushing the ball too far, causing a regrettable missed opportunity.
46' | The second half begins
U23 South Korea kicked off, and the second half officially began.
45+2' | Japan U23 temporarily takes the lead
The first half ended with Japan U23 leading South Korea U23 1-0.
45' | Added time is determined
The first half had 2 minutes of added time.
44' | Koizumi misses a chance to double the lead
Koizumi's skillful volley narrowly missed the South Korean U23 goal.
36' | Japan U23 scores the opening goal
From a header by Nagano, the South Korean U23 goalkeeper could only make a narrow save. Koizumi was quick to react and scored with an accurate rebound, giving Japan U23 a 1-0 lead.
26' | Japan U23's goal under threat
Kim Yong Hak delivered a powerful and accurate header, forcing the Japanese U23 goalkeeper to make a last-ditch save.
23' | Japan U23 misses a counter-attack opportunity
Ogura's clever through pass allowed Michiwaki to break free, but a lack of coordination prevented the play from being converted into a dangerous opportunity.
15' | Japan U23 defense in disarray
Kim Yong Hak delivered a dangerous cross in front of the Japanese U23 goal, but the lack of cohesion in the attack prevented the South Korean U23 team from creating a shot.
11' | A regrettable missed opportunity
Michiwaki made a good run to receive a through ball from his teammate, but his lob shot lacked accuracy and failed to score for Japan U23.
9' | Missed!
Koizumi unleashed a volley from outside the penalty area, but the ball went too high over the South Korean U23 goal.
7' | South Korea U23 goalkeeper shows his class
Sato delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area, but Hong Seong Min was alert and punched the ball away in time to avert the danger.
1' | The match begins
Japan U23 kicked off, and the semi-final match officially began.
Japan U23 starting lineup
South Korea U23 starting lineup
AFC supercomputer predicts semi-final result between Japan U23 and South Korea U23.
Data compiled from the AFC supercomputer, based on form, goal-scoring performance, defensive capabilities, and head-to-head history, shows that the Japanese U23 team has a clear advantage.
Accordingly, the Japanese team is predicted to have an 83% chance of winning, while the South Korean U23 team's chances are only 17%. This is a significant difference, especially considering that the two teams have been considered evenly matched for many years.
U23 Japan vs U23 South Korea Prediction: An early final of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.
The 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup semi-final between Japan U23 and South Korea U23 is considered an "early final" of the tournament, as the two leading youth football nations in the continent must eliminate each other to compete for a place in the next round. Japan U23 enters the match as the defending champions, possessing a disciplined playing style, excellent spatial control, and a defense considered the best in the tournament.
However, the hard-fought victory against U23 Jordan in the quarter-finals also showed that the Japanese team's system can still be exploited under constant pressure. Conversely, U23 South Korea is gradually improving after a less-than-impressive group stage, and is particularly dangerous with high-pressure pressing and fast counter-attacks.
Given the tense nature of a semi-final match, both teams are likely to approach the game cautiously, prioritizing control and minimizing mistakes. The difference could come from a moment of individual brilliance or a set-piece situation.
Predicted score: Japan U23 1-0 South Korea U23.
