Immediately after the start of the match, the two teams started to attack each other fiercely. The DPRK women's soccer team had a stronger attack, with slightly more than 55% of the possession and more shots on goal. However, it was the Japanese women who broke the deadlock first.
In the 10th minute of the match, Yamamoto Yuzuki played a long pass through the DPRK women's defense, and Nakashima Shuno had a one-touch chance to score a goal, helping the Japanese women's soccer team get off to a fantastic start with a 1-0 scoreline.
Trailing by a goal, the DPRK women's soccer team stepped up their offense, relying on individual players to keep attacking and improving their possession.
DPRK women's soccer corner kicks were blocked in the 22nd minute on consecutive shots. In the 26th minute, Eung Heung Shin's chance for a one-touch shot was wide open, but was destroyed by Kogata's backtracking shovel first, missing a great opportunity.
In the 38th minute, the DPRK women's soccer team leveled the score at 1-1: Kim Ok was sent straight upfield, Wei Jung-Shin passed the ball sideways, the Japanese women's soccer players made a mistake in clearing the ball, and Kim Kyeong-Young fired a low shot into the goal, and the whole team celebrated wildly.
The score remained tied at 1-1 in the first half of extra time when Shino Koyama's long-distance shot was deflected off the line by the DPRK women's soccer goalkeeper.
Statistically, the DPRK women's soccer team dominated overall, with 57% possession, 7-3 shots on goal, 3-2 shots on target, 42-27 dangerous attacks, and 6-3 corner kicks.
Back on the pitch for the second half, Japan Women's Football made a substitution with Makoto Ueno and Haruka Osawa coming on as joint substitutes.
The score on the field was suddenly changed in the 65th minute. Moeko Tanigawa took a corner kick to the goal mouth and substitute Haruka Osawa finished with a header to help the Japanese women go over the top again 2-1.
In the 68th minute, the Japanese women's soccer team counterattacked quickly in front of the field. Tanigawa's lovely son picked up the ball and suddenly started shooting from a distance. The ball hit the lower edge of the crossbar and bounced into the net. The goalkeeper of the North Korean women's soccer team was stunned and the score became 3-1.
The Japanese women's soccer team quickly extended their lead again before the DPRK women's soccer team slowed down.
In the 72nd minute, Rei Chiba Haena carried the ball into the box and pumped her left foot into the net to help seal the 4-1 win for the Japanese women's soccer team.
After that, the DPRK women's soccer team did not give up on the game, and eventually failed to turn the game around and saw off the Japanese women's soccer team to win the championship in a heartbreaking defeat.
