U23 Japan entered the final match with the position of the most traditional team in the tournament.
Under the guidance of coach Go Oiwa, "Green Samurai", although not using the strongest force, still showed superiority in tactical thinking, game control ability and personal technical quality.
The attack of U23 Japan is currently the best in the tournament with 11 goals, showing the diversity in approaching the opponent's goal.
In the semi-finals, the 1-0 victory over U23 Korea is clear proof of the bravery of the team from the land of cherry blossoms. Not only attacking effectively, U23 Japan also showed the ability to control rhythm and protect achievements when necessary.
Meanwhile, U23 China was the biggest surprise of the tournament. From a team that had been eliminated early many times in previous AFC U23 Championships, coach Antonio Puche's team advanced straight to the final with a tight and effective defensive style.
Notably, U23 China has not conceded any goals since the beginning of the tournament, in which the role of goalkeeper Li Hao and center-back Peng Xiao is particularly prominent.
The 3-0 victory over U23 Vietnam in the semi-finals shows that U23 China not only knows how to defend but also takes good advantage of counter-attack and high ball situations. Discipline in the squad organization helps the East Asian representative stand firm against great pressure from strong opponents.
In terms of force balance and head-to-head history, U23 Japan is still rated higher. However, if they do not soon penetrate the multi-layered defense of U23 China, coach Go Oiwa's team may face many difficulties, even having to resolve the match with decisive moments.
Score prediction: U23 Japan 2-0 U23 China
