England 0-1 Japan: Highlights, man of the match, stats as damning xG stat emerges for Thomas Tuchel

England suffered their first-ever defeat to an Asian side in senior men's football as Japan deservedly prevailed 1-0 at Wembley Stadium in Tuesday's friendly.

Thomas Tuchel unsurprisingly reverted to a near full-strength XI after his Uruguay experiment, but there was still a Harry Kane-sized void in the lineup, as the skipper missed out as a precaution with a minor injury.

Phil Foden was deployed in the number nine role in Kane's absence, but the latter's absence was well and truly felt, as England fell behind to a beautifully-worked Kaoru Mitoma strike midway through the first half.

The Brighton & Hove Albion attacker's strike ended Jordan Pickford's astonishing 922-minute run without conceding for England, who looked the more likely to concede again at the start of the second 45.

A raft of changes helped the Three Lions rediscover some attacking verve, but not enough to overcome their pitiful first-half performance, as Hajime Moriyasu's visitors celebrated a historic maiden win over England.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

As international breaks go, this could hardly have been a more forgettable one for England.

No Kane truly means no party for the Euro 2024 runners-up, whose Foden nine experiment needs to be banished to the back pages of Tuchel's tactics book straight away, as the damning xG data shows.

Before the 78th minute of Tuesday's loss, the hosts produced a grand total of 0.00 expected goals on target, and not until Tuchel ripped up his first XI did England actually threaten the Samurai Blue's goal.

Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Maguire, Jarrod Bowen and Dominic Solanke did their utmost, while Foden, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Anthony Gordon just had no answer to the unbreakable structure of a true football team.

England still have two warm-up matches in June before their World Cup challenge begins, but rather than head to the USA on a high, they departed to an unexpected smattering of boos on Tuesday night.

As for Japan, few would have seen them as serious contenders for global glory a few hours ago, but Moriyasu's well-drilled men have the potential to do something special in North America.

ENGLAND VS. JAPAN HIGHLIGHTS

Kaoru Mitoma goal vs. England (23rd min, England 0-1 Japan)

JAPAN TAKE THE LEAD AT WEMBLEY! ??

Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma puts his side 1-0 up v England ⚽️#ITVFootball | @JapaneseFbl pic.twitter.com/ueA4FCTFAS
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) March 31, 2026

Now THAT is a team goal.

Cole Palmer is robbed of possession just inside the Japan half, and the visitors break at speed through a disorganised Three Lions midfield.

The ball is worked out to Keito Nakamura on the left, and the Reims winger plays a lovely square pass to Mitoma, whose side-footed finish is perfectly placed out of Jordan Pickford's reach.

Harry Maguire header off line vs. Japan (83rd min, England 0-1 Japan)

OFF THE LINE! ?

Harry Maguire nearly makes an immediate impact off the bench for England ???????#ITVFootball | @England | @HarryMaguire93 pic.twitter.com/Wf3Lq1JgZi
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) March 31, 2026

So nearly an instant impact from the substitute!

Harry Maguire shows exceptional strength to get his head to a corner, but Yukinari Sugawara's positioning is spot on, and the ball is cleared off the line.

MAN OF THE MATCH - KAISHU SANO

Here, there and everywhere in the Japan midfield, Mainz 05 lynchpin Kaishu Sano played a key role in stifling England's toothless attackers at Wembley.

Sano won five of his six ground duels, made 11 defensive contributions in total and also completed a staggering 94% of his passes, ensuring that there was at least some semblance of Declan Rice on the field.

ENGLAND VS. JAPAN MATCH STATS

Possession: England 70%-30% Japan

Shots: England 19-7 Japan

Shots on target: England 4-2 Japan

Corners: England 11-1 Japan

Fouls: England 7-13 Japan

BEST STATS

922 - Jordan Pickford has conceded a goal for England for the first time since October 2024 (v Greece), with Kaoru Mitoma's strike ending a run of 922 minutes without being beaten. Silenced. pic.twitter.com/URq8AXn9v7
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 31, 2026

0 - This is the first time since November 2017 (v Germany) that England didn't manage a shot on target in the first half of a friendly. Concern. pic.twitter.com/EttnA0wgYF
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 31, 2026

England created 0.00(xGOT) before the 78th minute against Japan.
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) March 31, 2026

WHAT NEXT?

Once the domestic season draws to a close, England conclude their World Cup preparations against New Zealand and Costa Rica on June 7 and 10 respectively - both will be played in any of Miami, Orlando or Tampa.

Meanwhile, Japan meet Iceland in their final pre-World Cup friendly on May 31, exactly two weeks before their Mundial opener against the Netherlands.