Match Report · Sep 24, 2026
New era, first win: Japan beats Uruguay 3-1, and two first-time scorers steal the show
Samurai Blue's first match since Houston was supposed to be about turning the page. It turned into a coming-out party. Kuryu Matsuki, the 23-year-old Southampton midfielder on his first senior call-up, started at right wing back at a sold-out Q&A Stadium Miyagi and needed eleven minutes to make his mark: a cut inside and a left-footed strike from the edge of the box for his first international goal, on debut. Uruguay leveled before the break through Maximiliano Araujo, and for a long time it looked like a draw would spoil nothing for Diego Forlan in his first match in charge of La Celeste. Then stoppage time happened. Kento Shiogai, 21, scored his first goal for Japan to put Samurai Blue back in front (90+1'), and Ayase Ueda sealed it five minutes later (90+6'). Final score: 3-1, with Tomoki Hayakawa in goal while Zion Suzuki rested his side. One September friendly, sure. But it is the first real look at what comes next for this team, and two players just gave everyone a reason to remember their names.