Japanese coach suffers big defeat in debut game for Thailand

Scorers: Ao Tanaka 50’, Keito Nakamura 72’, Elias Doloh 75’ (OG), Takumu Kawamura 82’, Takumi Minamino 90’+1.

The two teams did not have the strongest squad for this friendly match of the exhibition cup Toyo Tires at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. The host missed some players who are still playing in Europe, while Thailand did not have key players like Theerathon Bunmathan, Chanathip Songkrasin or Teesasil Dangda.

Without the playmakers, Thailand chose an all-out defense approach. Despite a series of shots from Japan, they successfully survived the first half without conceding.

However, it was over for Thailand when Japan put star players like Ritsu Doan and Takumi Minamino on in the second half.

Japan’s Takumi Minamino (R) reacts after scoring the team’s 5th goal against Thailand during the Toyo Tires Cup at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2024. Photo by The Yomiuri Shimbun/Takuya Matsumoto via AFP

In the 50th minute, Japan opened the scoring with Ao Tanaka’s finish. 10 minutes later, Keito Nakamura hit the post. The chances also came to Doan and Minamino but they could not beat goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai.

Things got easier for Japan when Nakamura scored in the 72nd minute with a tap-in. Two minutes later, Elias Doloh scored an own goal from a corner. From this moment, Thailand nearly had no resistance, as Japan scored twice in the remaining minutes, with a header from Takumu Kawamura and a nice goal from Minamino.

Losing 0-5 was not a surprise for Thailand with this squad. In his debut, coach Ishii, who replaced Mano Polking after the latter’s defeat by China at the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, also put familiar names like Supachok Sarachat and Sarach Yooyen on the bench.

This was Thailand’s only friendly game before the 2024 Asian Cup.

In front of nearly 70,000 spectators, Japan extended their winning streak to nine games, which started in June last year. This is the longest winning streak of Japan in history.

In the 2024 Asian Cup, Japan are in the same group as Vietnam, Indonesia and Iraq. Having two Southeast Asian team in the group was likely the reason why Japan chose Thailand as their opponent for an exhibition game.