AFC U17 Asian Cup - Japan’s Ono eyes improvements after dramatic title win

Jeddah: Japan head coach Shingi Ono admitted there is still significant room for improvement despite his side edging China PR 3-2 in the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026™ final at the King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium Legends on Friday.

Japan looked in complete control after racing to a three-goal lead in the first half, but were forced to endure a nervy finish as China PR produced a spirited second-half response to set up a tense closing stage.

Despite the pressure, Japan held firm to secure the title, with Ono reflecting on both the positives of victory and the lessons learned.

“We had talked about how important the start of the second half would be, especially in a situation where we had a numerical advantage, but that early goal completely changed the flow of the game,” said Ono.

“In the end, we were able to win, but there are still clear issues we need to address. However, I think this was a very valuable match – something that can serve as important material for us moving forward.”

Ono admitted Japan’s control slipped after the break, highlighting concentration and game management as key areas for improvement.

“In terms of controlling the game from the first to the 90th minute, that early goal was a very big and painful setback for us."

“It reflects our day-to-day standards, those kinds of mistakes that can happen in normal situations and lead to conceding.

“Moving forward, not just with this group but as we aim toward the World Cup, we need to address those issues, improve them and work towards playing better matches where we can perform more consistently and maintain that level for the full 90 minutes.”

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