Japan secured their second AFC U-23 Asian Cup title by defeating Uzbekistan 1-0 in a thrilling final at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. The match, which saw both teams evenly matched throughout the 90 minutes, was decided in injury time of extra-time.
The breakthrough moment came when Japan capitalized on a defensive error by Uzbekistan, allowing Fuki Yamada to score with a precise low shot past the Uzbek goalkeeper. Despite a late penalty awarded to Uzbekistan, Japan's goalkeeper Leo Kokubo made a crucial save to maintain their lead and secure the championship.
This victory marks Japan's second AFC U-23 Asian Cup title, with their previous win coming in 2016. On the other hand, Uzbekistan, who were champions in 2018, suffered their second consecutive final defeat.
Joel Chima Fujita, the captain of Japan, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player for his leadership in guiding his team to victory. Uzbekistan's Abduvohid Nematov received the Best Goalkeeper award after conceding only one goal throughout the tournament, which unfortunately came in the final.
Ali Jassim of Iraq claimed the Golden Boot award with four goals, including the decisive goal that secured his team's spot in the men's football tournament at the upcoming Olympic Games.
