Hangzhou Asian Games Women's Soccer Final: Japan vs DPR Korea
October 6, Asian Games Women's Soccer Summit Match: Japan Challenges DPR Korea
BEIJING, Oct. 6, 2020 - The women's soccer final of the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou was played as expected, with the Japanese women's soccer team and the North Korean women's soccer team battling it out for old and new supremacy. China's women's soccer team defeated Japan's women's soccer team in the semifinals, but then beat Uzbekistan's women's soccer team 1:0 in the third- and fourth-place finals to finish third.
Looking back at history, the Chinese women's soccer team dominated the Asian soccer scene for a long time from the 1980s to the 1990s. However, as times changed, the North Korean women's soccer team took over the baton of Asian soccer, and then gave way to the Japanese women's soccer team, which officially began its era of dominance in Asia after the 2010 Asian Games and the 2011 Women's World Cup.
The Japanese women's soccer team, although mainly young players, but the strength is still not to be underestimated. The North Korean women's soccer team, the "mysterious division" that has been absent from the competition many times in recent years, will also show its elegance at the Asian Games.
On the day of the match, the Japanese women's soccer team started with a 352 formation with the following lineup: Chiba Reikai, Yamamoto Yuzuki, Shuno, Momotani Kawakawa, Amano Sae, Ebisaka Rena, Shiokoshi Yuzu Ayumu, Koga Towers, Goto Wakaba, Koyama Shino Kuan, and Asano Nana.
The DPRK women's soccer team, on the other hand, faced the match in a 433 formation, with a starting lineup that included Kim Kyung-young, Hong Sung-ok, Yen Sing-myung, Hyung Kim-ok, Myung Yoo-sung, Lee Hak, Lee Hye-kyung, Wei Jung-sin, Lee Kim-hyang, Lee Myung-kim, and Kim Eun-hui.
At the beginning of the match, both sides were evenly matched, but the offense of Japan Women's Football Team was more efficient. In the 10th minute, Yuzuki Yamamoto made a long pass to Shuno, who formed a one-two punch and calmly shot the ball into the goal, giving Japan Women's Soccer a 1:0 lead.
In the second half, Seung Hyang-sim came on as a substitute, but the DPRK women's soccer team failed to equalize the score. In the 38th minute, Hyung Kim Ok sent a direct kick that was replicated by Kim Kyung Young, and the ball was amazingly fast, equalizing the DPRK women's soccer team 1:1.
However, Japan Women's soccer team did not give up, Shino Kouyama's long-distance shot was held by the goalkeeper, and Wei Zhengxin's counter-attacking pass was taken away by the goalkeeper. In the 65th minute, Japan Women's Football Team attacked a corner kick and Haruka Osawa scored a header to make the score 2:1.
In the 70th minute, Moeko Tanigawa scored with a long-range shot from outside the penalty area to give the Japanese women's soccer team a 3:1 lead. Then, Chiba Rei Haena scored another goal with a single shot, and finally the Japanese women's soccer team successfully defended the title of the women's soccer team of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games with a 4:1 victory over the DPRK women's soccer team.
