According to Japanese media Sponichi, Japan defeated New Zealand 2-1 in the Kirin Cup final, with head coach Hajime Moriyasu explaining the reasoning behind the switch to a four-defender formation.

Rather than continuing with the three-defender formation that has been Japan's primary setup since the 2024 Asian Cup, Japan adopted a four-defender formation for this match. This marked Japan's first starting lineup with a four-defender formation since facing North Korea in March 2024, ending a gap of 2 years and 7 months. Moriyasu had previously used a four-defender formation during his initial tenure as Japan's head coach, which began in 2018.

Moriyasu stated, "This is to increase our tactical variety and challenge the players. To prepare for the Asian Cup, we need to be flexible during matches and also aim to gain an advantage over our opponents from the start."

Moriyasu revealed that the coaching staff had already decided to use a four-defender formation for this match before the current training camp began. He said, "We had already discussed this formation with the coaching staff and were prepared to take on the challenge of expanding our tactical options." Moriyasu added, "The players did outstanding work in accepting the challenge of trying a different style of play."

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