Japan, South Korea and Mexico win World Cup tune-up matches

FootballSports
31 May 2026 • 9:51 PM MYT
DPA International
DPA International

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Japan made it three 1-0 victories from three World Cup tune-up matches this year when they beat Iceland on Sunday in Tokyo.

Substitute Koki Ogawa headed an 87th-minute winner at National Stadium in their final warm-up game before the June 11-July 19 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The Samurai Blue won with the same 1-0 score in Scotland and England in March and will travel to the World Cup on a high of six straight wins, which also include a 3-2 over Brazil, and clean sheets in the last five games.

Hajime Moriyasu's team was the first to qualify for the World Cup which they start on June 14 against the Netherlands, with Tunisia and Sweden their other group stage opponents. Japan have never gone beyond the round of 16 at the World Cup.

Earlier Sunday, former Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min and Cho Gue-sung scored a brace each as South Korea beat Trinidad and Tobago, who like Iceland are not qualified, 5-0 in Provo, Utah.

Late Saturday, Ecuador defeated Saudi Arabia 2-1 in New Jersey from Jackson Porozo and Anthony Valencia, with Sultan Mandash getting a late consolation goal.

Ecuador play Ivory Coast, Curaçao and Germany at the World Cup while the Saudis are in a group with Uruguay, Spain and Cape Verde.

World Cup co-hosts Mexico beat Australia 1-0 in their penultimate tune-up. Genoa defender Johan Vásquez headed the winner in the 28th minute off a corner kick in Pasadena.

A final warm-up game for the Mexicans is scheduled for Thursday against Serbia while Australia complete their preparations on Saturday against Switzerland.

Mexico open the tournament on June 11 in Mexico City against South Africa. South Korea and the Czech Republic are the other group teams.

Australia start against Turkey on June 13, with co-hosts United States and Paraguay their other opponents.

Further tune-up games are scheduled in the coming days, with later fixtures on Sunday including Germany v Finland, US v Senegal and Brazil v Panama.

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