According to Japanese media outlet Sponichi, Japan defeated New Zealand 2-1 in the Kirin Cup final, and Hajime Moriyasu explained his decision to switch to a four-man defense.
Japan opted for a four-man defense instead of the three-man defense formation that has been standard since the 2024 Asian Cup. This marked the first time Japan started with a four-man defense since their match against North Korea in March 2024, breaking a streak of over two and a half years. Moriyasu also began his tenure as Japan coach in 2018 with a four-man defense.
He stated, "This is to expand our tactical variations and challenge the players. To prepare for the Asian Cup, we need to be flexible not only during matches but also seek an advantage over our opponents from the opening kick-off."
Moriyasu revealed that the coaching staff had decided to deploy a four-man defense for the final match before the current training camp began. He said, "Regarding the fourth match, we had already discussed this with the coaching staff and were prepared to take on the challenge of broadening our formation options." Moriyasu added, "The players did an excellent job embracing the challenge of trying a different style of play."
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