Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic has blasted his players and ordered them to show some pride after a shock 2-1 defeat to North Korea in their East Asian Cup opener in China on Sunday.
Second-string Japan made a dream start as Yuki Muto fired the defending champions into a third-minute lead on his debut, but North Korea piled on the pressure after the break and Ri Hyok Chol equalized before Pak Hyon Il added the second with two minutes left to complete the stunning upset.
The defeat followed an embarrassing 0-0 draw at home to lowly Singapore in June in Japan's opening World Cup qualifier for the 2018 finals in Russia. It was also the team's first loss since Halilhodzic took over in March.