Same three South American foes: Japan unbeaten, Korea W1 D1 L1

📰 Against the same three South American sides, Japan went unbeaten while Korea won one, drew one and lost one. In their final October matches, both nations won. 📌 Key points ⚽ Japan beat Uruguay 3-1 on 24 September. 🔁 On 28 September Japan came from 0-1 down to beat Venezuela 2-1. 🧤 On 1 October they drew 0-0 with Ecuador and won 5-4 on penalties. 🇰🇷 Against the same three teams Korea won 3-0, lost 1-4 and drew 0-0. 🏆 Japan then beat New Zealand 2-1 to win the Kirin Cup, while Korea beat Uzbekistan 2-0. 📝 What happened ⚽ Japan beat Uruguay 3-1 in the Kirin Challenge Cup on 24 September. Debutant Kuryu Matsuki opened the scoring in the 11th minute, and although Uruguay equalised in the 42nd, Kento Shiogai and Ayase Ueda scored in quick succession in stoppage time. 🔁 Against Venezuela in Hiroshima on 28 September, Japan conceded to Kelsy just after the restart. But Ueda equalised three minutes later, and in stoppage time he converted a penalty won by Takefusa Kubo to turn it around 2-1. 🧤 The Kirin Cup semi-final against Ecuador in Yokohama on 1 October ended 0-0. In the shoot-out, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki saved the opponents' third kick and all five Japanese takers scored to win 5-4. 🇰🇷 Over the same period Korea beat Ecuador 3-0 but were thrashed 1-4 by Uruguay. In Ulsan on 2 October they struggled against Venezuela's intense pressing and drew 0-0. 🏆 Both nations won their final match. According to the official J.League website, Japan led through Ueda's 28th-minute goal in the Kirin Cup final on 5 October, conceded an equaliser to Ben Old four minutes later, then won 2-1 against New Zealand through Ritsu Doan's 71st-minute goal to lift the trophy. Korea beat Uzbekistan 2-0 in Yongin on the 6th, with Son Heung-min's record 59th international goal and an Oh Se-hun header. 📊 By the numbers • Japan v the three South American sides: W2 D1 (won on penalties) — 5 scored, 2 conceded • Korea v the three South American sides: W1 D1 L1 — 4 scored, 4 conceded • Japan's Ayase Ueda: 3 goals in 2 games against South American sides + 1 against New Zealand • Final matches: Japan 2-1 New Zealand (Kirin Cup winners), Korea 2-0 Uzbekistan 🔭 Why it matters Facing the same opponents made the comparison all the starker. Japan's newcomers scored, their substitutes delivered results, and they finished four home games unbeaten before lifting the Kirin Cup. Korea can breathe a little easier after a clean-sheet win over Uzbekistan and Son Heung-min's landmark, but the performance gap exposed against South American opposition remains homework to solve before the November camp.