England 0-1 Japan: Kaoru Mitoma Goal Stuns Tuchel’s Side at Wembley

England lost to Japan in their final home game before the World Cup.

Japan held off a late England surge to win 1–0 away at Wembley.

The visitors had taken the lead through Kaoru Mitoma midway through the first half.

England manager Thomas Tuchel used the first hour of the game to trial a new attacking system, which saw the hosts play without a recognised striker.

England started the game with a fluid front four comprising: Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rogers, and Cole Palmer.

This system would ideally allow England to use more of their creative players, an area the squad has great depth in.

The side looked unbalanced going forward in the absence of talisman Harry Kane up front, however, with Foden often being disconnected from play while operating as a false nine.

Cole Palmer was also forced to drop deep at times in order to receive the ball, and his key involvements were largely restricted to set-piece deliveries.

It was Palmer being robbed of the ball in midfield by Kaoru Mitoma which led to Japan’s goal.

Mitoma then combined well with winger Ayase Ueda to open England up on the counter-attack, before finding space in the box and slotting past Jordan Pickford for the game’s only goal.

England’s brightest sparks in the first half came when Gordon combined with left-back Nico O’Reilly, a partnership which produced a dangerous cross shortly before half-time.

The false nine experiment was ultimately ended when striker Dominic Solanke and winger Jarrod Bowen were brought on shortly before the hour mark. This allowed Morgan Rogers to occupy his preferred central position, and the side to play with a more traditional 4-2-3-1 formation.

England’s best passage of play came in the final fifteen minutes, as Marcus Rashford and Everton midfielder James Garner were introduced for Gordon and Kobbie Mainoo.

Rashford had England’s first shot on target of the match in the 78th minute, which drew an impressive reaction save from Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, before Bowen put the rebound wide.

Corners provided the greatest threat to Japan’s lead, with the height of late substitutes Harry Maguire and Dan Burn adding to England’s aerial presence.

Maguire saw one header cleared off the line by Yukinari Sugawara before sending another over the bar three minutes later.

England’s final chance came in the 90th minute, as Morgan Rogers’ shot went high from eight yards out.

The defeat was England’s first against an Asian side.

Even without Kane, England possessed enough attacking quality to trouble most defences. Suzuki calmly controlled his box throughout the game, as both Palmer and Garner aimed to unsettle him with in-swinging corners.

Suzuki’s sharp saves from Rashford and Hall were vital in preserving Japan’s lead late on.

What does this mean for the World Cup?

England will have friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica before their World Cup campaign begins against Croatia on June 17th.

Even so, this remained a crucial opportunity for many players to impress Thomas Tuchel before England’s squad for the tournament is selected.

None of England’s attacking players will be entirely happy with their performances, but Tuchel may take encouragement from how well O’Reilly and Gordon combined in the first half, as well as Rashford’s influence late on.

Japan will see this win as proof that they are serious contenders to go deep at this summer’s World Cup.

The performances of Mitoma and Zion Suzuki will be particularly vital if Asia’s highest-ranked side are to progress from a difficult group also containing Sweden, the Netherlands, and Tunisia.