“Of course, I am happy that we won and managed to finish the group stage in pole position, but I think personally, I made some mistakes that could prove costly in the later rounds,” said Kawai.

“That said, I’m pleased to have scored, especially since I haven’t been finding the net much lately. It felt good to see some results.”

As the 2023 runners-up gear up to cross swords with Lebanon, who defeated India 6-1 earlier in the day, for a place in the final four, the Tokyo Verdy Beach Soccer Club custodian expressed his unwavering confidence in his teammates and head coach Teruku Tabata.

“At this stage, any team that has reached the quarter-finals is strong, but I have complete trust in our coach and in the abilities of my teammates,” said Kawai. “I will do my best to minimise mistakes, and I know that will be the aim for the entire team as well.”

China PR’s only goal came from captain Cai Weiming who, despite his side’s elimination, chose to focus on the silver lining.

“Although our journey ends here, I’m grateful for the opportunity to compete, and we truly appreciate the support from our fans,” said Cai.

“We will continue working hard and use the experience gained in this tournament to further develop our game. This has been a unique adventure, and hopefully, it will last a bit longer next time.”

Japan v Lebanon
Venue: Jomtien Beach Arena (Pattaya)
Kick-off: Wednesday, 20:30 (UTC+7)