Japan players celebrate winning the women's football gold medal at the 19th Asian Games, Oct. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Jia Haocheng)
Japan beat DPR Korea to retain Asiad women's football crown and become the Games' most successful women's football team.
HANGZHOU, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Japan beat DPR Korea 4-1 to retain the women's football title at the Hangzhou Asian Games here on Friday.
Their third gold since Guangzhou 2010 brought Japan to the top of the all-time Asian Games women's football medal table.
Japan has reached the podium in all nine editions of the tournament since the event made its debut at Beijing 1990. Their haul includes four silvers and two bronzes.
"I am so happy to be a member of this team", said Remina Chiba. "This team is the best team in Asia. This title is going to push us forward and raise our level. We want to keep this level of being the best team in Asia."
Japan and DPR Korea were tied at 1-1 in the first half before the defending champion scored three goals in just six second-half minutes to kill the match.
Japan enjoyed a dream start in the 10th minute as Yuzuki Yamamoto's perfect through pass found Yoshino Nakashima, who lifted the ball over the keeper and into the net.
Kim Kyong Yong sent Wi Jong Sim's cross home in the 39th minute to equalize for DPR Korea.
The second half saw DPR Korea push hard at the beginning, but Japan seized the chance to counter-attack. Haruka Osawa headed Momoko Tanikawa's corner home in the 66th minute to regain the lead for Japan. Tanikawa curled a long-distance shot to double Japan's advantage three minutes later, before Remina Chiba fired home from a tight angle in the 72nd minute to clinch the victory for Japan.
Wang Shanshan (L) wins a header during China's victory over Uzbekistan. (Xinhua/Gong Bing)
China, who lost 3-4 to Japan in the semifinals, needed little effort to claim bronze. The host nation crushed Uzbekistan 7-0 in the match for third place.
Only 20 seconds after kick-off, Zhang Xin's left-wing cross found Ou Yiyao, who headed home to gift the host nation a dream start.
Chen Qiaozhu dribbled through the left and netted to double the lead for China in the 26th minute. Ou's pinpoint back-heel pass found Wang Shanshan, who fired the ball home from a tight angle to increase the lead to 3-0 in the 45th minute.
The home team kept their momentum in the second half. Wurigumula headed Yao Wei's cross home in the 59th minute, before Chen, Gu Yasha and Yao scored three goals in only five minutes to seal China's big win.
"We still had the desire to score more goals," China midfielder Yang Lina said. "We lost the last game, so we really wanted to win this match. We also had a lot of fans here to play for."
Uzbekistan finished in the top-four for the first time as South Korea, who was eliminated by DPR Korea in the quarterfinals, missed the semifinals for the first time since 1998.
