A chaotic finish in Miyagi
Diego Forlan’s first match in charge of Uruguay produced a scoreline that flattered nobody. Japan won 3-1 in Miyagi on Thursday, but the story of the game sat almost entirely in the final minutes of stoppage time, when Kento Shiogai and Ayase Ueda scored twice inside a matter of seconds to turn a single-goal contest into a three-goal margin.
Kuryu Matsuki had given the hosts an early lead before Maximiliano Araujo pulled Uruguay level just before the break, with Forlan watching his first half-time whistle as a national team coach. For long spells afterward, the game read as an even contest between two sides still shaping their identity under new management, Japan’s own project now well into its stride under their current coach.
Try it for $0.99.
A debut with a 16-year shadow
Forlan’s appointment carries a weight few coaching debuts do. He remains Uruguay’s most recent World Cup Golden Ball winner, the standout forward of the 2010 tournament in South Africa, and he replaces Marcelo Bielsa, who leaves the post after leading Uruguay through the 2026 World Cup cycle. Taking over a squad shaped by another coach mid-transition is rarely straightforward, and Thursday’s collapse in the closing minutes was a reminder of how much coordination still needs building.
Forlan did not look for excuses afterward. “The score doesn’t reflect what the game actually was. We had several goal-scoring opportunities,” he said, before crediting his opposite number: “He loves combinations, he sets up his teams very well, and the time he has spent in charge shows.” On the finish itself, he was blunt: “It’s a real shame they capitalized on those chances in stoppage time to win.”
Next stop: Seoul
Uruguay have little time to dwell on the result. Forlan takes his squad to Seoul to face South Korea on September 28, a second friendly that will offer an early read on whether Thursday’s defensive lapses were a one-off or a symptom of a squad still adjusting to a new voice in the dressing room.
Discover the rest of our football news on MathODDS!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply