NewKerala.com

Japan Crush South Korea 4-1 to Reach Women's Asian Cup Final vs Australia

Japan secured a dominant 4-1 victory over South Korea in the semifinals of the AFC Women's Asian Cup. The win, featuring goals from Riko Ueki, Maika Hamano, Saki Kumagai, and Remina Chiba, books Japan's place in their seventh tournament final. They will face hosts Australia in a repeat of the 2014 and 2018 finals, both of which Japan won. South Korea's lone consolation came from a late goal by Kang Chae-rim.

Key Points: Japan vs Australia in Women's Asian Cup Final After 4-1 Win

  • Japan reaches seventh Asian Cup final
  • Riko Ueki opens scoring
  • Maika Hamano scores brilliant solo goal
  • Final is repeat of 2014 and 2018 deciders
2 min read

Women's Asian Cup: Japan thrash South Korea 4-1 to set up final clash with Australia

Japan dominates South Korea 4-1 in the AFC Women's Asian Cup semifinal, setting up a final rematch against host nation Australia in Sydney.

"Japan delivered a commanding display to defeat South Korea 4-1 - Match Report"

Sydney, March 18

Japan delivered a commanding display to defeat South Korea 4-1 in the semifinal of the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 played at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Wednesday, booking their place in the title clash against hosts Australia.

Coached by Nils Nielsen, Japan were in control for most of the contest, scoring twice in each half to register a convincing win and reach their seventh final. The upcoming summit clash will be a repeat of the 2014 and 2018 finals, both of which Japan had won.

South Korea, under Shin Sang-woo, made multiple changes to their starting lineup following their quarter-final win over Uzbekistan, while Japan restored several key players, including goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita, defender Saki Kumagai, and leading scorer Riko Ueki.

Japan started brightly and nearly took the lead early on, with a fluid attacking move resulting in a close-range chance that was squandered. However, they did not have to wait long to open the scoring. In the 15th minute, intense pressing forced a defensive error, allowing Fuka Nagano to win possession and set up Ueki, who calmly slotted home.

South Korea had a brief chance to respond soon after, but failed to hit the target. Japan doubled their lead in the 25th minute through an individual moment of brilliance, as Maika Hamano weaved past defenders before firing into the top corner from a tight angle.

Seeking a comeback, South Korea introduced attacking changes at halftime, but Japan continued to create the better chances. Their persistence paid off in the 75th minute when Kumagai capitalised on a goalkeeping error to head in from a corner.

South Korea managed to pull one back three minutes later through Kang Chae-rim, whose composed finish ended Japan's run without conceding a goal in the tournament.

Any hopes of a comeback, however, were quickly extinguished. Substitute Remina Chiba sealed the result in the 81st minute with a clinical finish on the counterattack, ensuring Japan's emphatic progression to the final.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Japan vs Australia final again! The Matildas will be seeking revenge for those previous final losses. As an Indian fan, I just hope one day we see our women's team competing in a semifinal like this. The gap is big, but not impossible to bridge.
A
Aman W
Respect to South Korea for fighting till the end, but Japan's pressing and team cohesion were too much. That goal by Maika Hamano was pure class! ⚽ Watching these matches makes me wish the Indian women's league got even half this attention and coverage.
S
Sarah B
From an Indian perspective, it's a bit disheartening. While we celebrate these fantastic athletes from Japan and Australia, we must ask: when will the AIFF and our sports authorities create a system that can produce teams capable of reaching this stage? The talent is here, the system is lacking.
K
Karthik V
Japan's women's team is a blueprint for success. Consistent, technical, and mentally strong. They conceded their first goal of the tournament and immediately scored again to kill the game. That's championship mentality. Our players need exposure to this level of competition regularly.
N
Nisha Z
Great match! But can we talk about the crowd? Stadium Australia looked packed. When will we see that kind of support for women's football in India? We fill stadiums for cricket, surely we can do better for our footballers too. The final should be a cracker!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50