Japan won Olympic Games in football with a score of 1-0 over South Africa

An empty stadium is not at all what Japanese athletes imagined when they performed in Tokyo for the first time at their home Olympic Games.

At least the men’s soccer team won on Thursday — a day before the opening ceremony of the pandemic-impacted games.

Takefusa Kubo scored the only goal with a curling strike off the post in the 71st minute that clinched a 1-0 victory over South Africa at the Tokyo Stadium.

Kubo is a 20-year-old forward signed up to Real Madrid who has yet to play for the Spanish giants while gaining the first-team experience elsewhere in La Liga. In the other Group A game, Mexico beat France 4-1.