Japanese football coach infected with COVID-19 two days before friendly against Korea

Korean football players practice at a stadium in Yokohama, Japan, March 23, ahead of their friendly game against Japan. Courtesy of Korean Football Association

By Ko Dong-hwan

Japanese national football team coach Toshihide Saito has tested positive for COVID-19, two days before its friendly game against Korea on March 25.

Citing the country's football federation, Japan's Kyodo News reported on March 23 that the coach was infected with the virus. The sport authority said, despite the news, the game will be held as planned after all the others on the team tested negative.

Saito, according to Japanese sports daily Nikkan Sports, tested negative when he took a test on March 21, but the infection was confirmed when he was retested.

Athletes from the two countries, marked by ever-present rivalry in almost all fields of national interest, will play at Japan's Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is the first friendly since 2011 in Sapporo ― where Korea lost 0-3.

Hajime Moriyasu, Team Japan's head coach, said in Wednesday's online press conference that he will send the "best players" for the match, which he assumed will be "pretty intense playing against the team running on dynamic and aggressive offense."

The Korean roster, however, is a little short of their best, with four in European clubs, including English Premier League's Son Heung-min, Hwang Ui-jo from France's Ligue 1, Lee Jae-sung and Hwang Hee-chan from Germany's Bundesliga, as well as two from the Chinese Super League all missing it.

Japanese football authorities, according to Newsis, a Korean news agency, have decided to increase audience seats from 5,000 to 10,000. Saito reportedly "hasn't come directly in contact with anybody."

The match is the two countries' 80th game. Korea won 42 games and lost 14.

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