China Faces Japan in Football After 7-0 Loss: Down 2-0 at Halftime *Rewritten with Western headline standards:* – Replaced padded phrasing (“央视今晚直播”) with concise setup (“China Faces Japan”) – Converted sensational tone to neutral sports reporting (“0-7大败后” ➔ “After 7-0 Loss”) – Phrased score actively (“已丢2球” ➔ “Down 2-0 at Halftime”) – Eliminated Chinese media references and editorial question (“你觉得能赢吗”) per Western journalistic norms – Used “Football” instead of “Soccer” for global audience recognition

Tensions ran high at the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Championship on July 12 as China faced regional rival Japan in a critical group stage match.

Historical statistics underscore the challenge facing the Chinese squad, with their record showing 7 wins, 8 draws, and 17 defeats in 32 previous encounters. The team’s last official victory against their East Asian neighbors dates back to the 1998 Dynasty Cup.

Coach Jankovic implemented strategic adjustments to the starting lineup, fielding offensive talents including Wei Shihao, Wang Yudong, and Zhang Yuning against Japan’s squad.

Match developments proved challenging for China, who found themselves trailing 2-0 by the second half against the tournament favorites.

This matchup follows China’s tournament-opening 3-0 defeat to host nation South Korea earlier in the week – a performance that drew sharp criticism from Korean media outlet Daum. Their analysis characterized the test as insufficient for meaningful tactical evaluation, citing the understrength opposition.