U23 Japan national team FW Yokoyama Yuki says the semifinal match against Uzbekistan at the Asian Games is "a match we absolutely must win."

The U23 Japan national team competing in men's soccer at the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games will face the U23 Uzbekistan national team on September 30 at Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka. The team held final preparations in Osaka on September 29, and Yokoyama Yuki, who plays for Cerezo Osaka, is looking forward to playing in the city he knows well.

Yokoyama Yuki said, "Ever since it was decided that the semifinal would be held in Osaka, I've been hoping our team would advance this far. Now that we're here, I want to play well in Osaka and make the fans who come to support us happy."

Training that day was held at a facility in Osaka, which also serves as Cerezo Osaka's training base. Yokoyama Yuki, wearing the Japan national team uniform for training, said, "It feels incredibly surreal." During practice, he participated in passing drills and showed sharp movements.

While the Asian Games men's soccer tournament typically has an U23 age limit, both Japan and Uzbekistan fielded U21 squads for this competition. This match represents a battle between players of the same generation aiming for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. At the 2028 U23 AFC Asian Cup, which will be held in Japan, two qualification spots for the Los Angeles Olympics will be contested.

Regarding Uzbekistan, Yokoyama Yuki said, "They are definitely a rival we must face, and we absolutely cannot lose to such a strong opponent. There are only two Olympic spots available in Asia, and to qualify for the Olympics, we must win the U23 AFC Asian Cup semifinal. Thinking about it that way, we absolutely must win."

Yokoyama Yuki was born on September 23, 2005, in Tokyo. He started playing soccer in kindergarten. After attending Teikyo High School, he joined FC Imabari before transferring to Cerezo Osaka in 2026 prior to the start of J1's centennial project league. His father, Hirotoshi, is a professional soccer player, and his older brother, Ayumu, plays for Belgian club KRC Genk. Yokoyama has been selected to Japan national teams from the U-19 level. He stands 172 cm tall, weighs 67 kg, is right-footed, excels at dribbling, and plays as an attacking midfielder.

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