Japan Stuns England at Wembley with 1-0 Victory

Japan secured a historic 1-0 win over England at Wembley, capitalizing on Harry Kane's absence due to injury. Kaoru Mitoma scored the decisive goal as the visitors outperformed the hosts, who faced criticism for an unimpressive display ahead of their World Cup squad announcement.

Japan pulled off a surprising 1-0 victory against England in a friendly match at Wembley on Tuesday. The win marked Japan's first triumph over England in four encounters. Brighton & Hove Albion's Kaoru Mitoma scored the lone goal in the 23rd minute, breaking England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford's clean sheet streak dating back to October 2024.

England's striker Harry Kane was missing from the lineup due to an unexpected injury during training, forcing coach Thomas Tuchel to experiment with new team formations. Despite enhancements in their gameplay, England struggled and faced boos from the crowd at halftime following a passive first-half performance.

The second half saw manager Tuchel make strategic changes, but Japan maintained their dominance. England had a few chances to level the score, notably through Marcus Rashford and Elliot Anderson, but couldn't capitalize. Japan's solid defense and effective counterattacks ensured their fifth consecutive win, underlining their readiness for the upcoming World Cup.