U23 Myanmar almost managed to hold U23 Japan to a draw during the 2026 U23 Asian Championship qualifiers.

Despite dominating possession, U23 Japan struggled significantly. The "Blue Samurai" faced numerous challenges against the solid and committed defense of U23 Myanmar. Both teams ended the first half goalless, which can be considered a major achievement for U23 Myanmar.

U23 Japan’s efforts paid off in the 52nd minute when Tariqkanihayat Okabe scored the opening goal. However, this setback did not shake U23 Myanmar, who remained steadfast in defense and looked for counterattack opportunities.

A big surprise came at the 80th minute when Swan Htet scored the equalizer for U23 Myanmar, making it 1-1. This caused U23 Japan to become somewhat anxious in their final plays, while Myanmar was determined to defend and preserve the draw until the end.

U23 Myanmar nearly celebrated a draw against Japan if not for a penalty in injury time. At 90+2 minutes, Gaku Nawata successfully converted the penalty, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory for U23 Japan.

With this win, U23 Japan is almost certain to advance with 6 points from two straight wins. In the last match, they will face U23 Kuwait. Meanwhile, U23 Myanmar’s chance to progress is still alive. The Southeast Asian team drew with Kuwait in the first round, narrowly lost to Japan, and will play Afghanistan in the final round.