Korea loses to Japan to fall short of E. Asian football title at home

Players bow after losing losing to Japan 1-0 in the finale during the final contest at the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship at Yongin Mireu Stadium in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. Yonhap

Korea came up short of winning their sixth East Asian men's football title at home Tuesday after losing to Japan 1-0 in the finale.

Ryo Germain scored the match's lone goal in the eighth minute of the teams' final contest at the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship at Yongin Mireu Stadium in Yongin, some 40 kilometers south of Seoul.

Japan, world No. 17, won the four-nation tournament with nine points, having earlier beaten Hong Kong 6-1 and China 2-0. South Korea, who defeated China 3-0 and Hong Kong 2-0, finished as the runners-up with six points in front of 18,418 fans.

This was the 10th edition of the top EAFF tournament and Japan has now won three titles, two behind South Korea.

This was a must-win match for 23rd-ranked South Korea, while Japan, with a two-goal edge over South Korea in goal difference entering Tuesday, only needed a draw for its second consecutive EAFF title.

Korea now has 42 wins, 23 draws and 17 losses against Japan, and has dropped three straight matches against Japan for the first time. Japan has outscored South Korea 7-0 in those three wins.