Japan's national football team [Yonhap]
Japan's national football team [Yonhap]

A Japanese media outlet's suggestion that Japan could reach the quarterfinals for the first time in history — by beating South Korea in the round of 16 at the North and Central America World Cup — has drawn a divided reaction from Korean football fans.

Nikkan Sports reported Thursday that if Japan finishes first in Group F by defeating Sweden, a round-of-16 clash with South Korea becomes possible.

South Korea, coached by Hong Myung-bo, currently sits second in Group A with one win and one loss. Whether the team advances to the round of 32 will be decided by the result of its final group-stage match against South Africa on Thursday morning.

Japan, led by coach Hajime Moriyasu, is second in Group F with one win and one draw — four points. The team has effectively secured a round-of-32 berth after drawing 2-2 with the Netherlands in its first match and routing Tunisia 4-0 in its second.

Nikkan Sports laid out a scenario in which Japan tops Group F by beating Sweden, South Korea advances as the Group A runner-up, and both teams win their respective round-of-32 matches — setting up a Korea-Japan showdown in the round of 16.

The outlet expressed confidence that a matchup against South Korea would significantly improve Japan's chances of reaching the quarterfinals, saying "a historic first quarterfinal appearance is starting to look real."

Korean football fans have reacted with mixed feelings. Some were fired up by the competitive slight. "Objectively speaking, it sounds like they're saying they can only reach the quarterfinals by using us as a stepping stone — that's disrespectful," one fan wrote. Another invoked a long-standing rivalry sentiment: "We may not always win the World Cup, but losing to Japan is never an option."

Others acknowledged the gap in form between the two sides. "If Japan is lucky, I think they could easily make the semifinals — their football has become that formidable," one fan said. "Honestly, I want us to win, but realistically we could lose," said another. The general mood among fans appears to be one of respect for Japan's rising level, tempered by the belief that a Korea-Japan match is never a foregone conclusion.

Football commentator Park Ji-sung offered a candid assessment. "It's true that Japan is currently ahead of South Korea," he said. "Japan has already shown what they can do and has been very consistent, whereas South Korea has had significant ups and downs — a lot will depend on how they perform going forward." He added: "South Korea has talented players, but it's a shame they haven't been able to consistently show that."

With the final group-stage results set to determine the fates of both teams, football fans are watching closely to see whether a Korea-Japan round-of-16 match — which would be the first such meeting in World Cup knockout history — could become a reality.


bbo@heraldcorp.com