Japan thrashed South Korea in the AFC Women's Asian Cup semi-final

Japan will face Australia in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup final.

Japan produced a classy performance to defeat the Korea Republic 4-1 in their AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 semi-final at Stadium Australia on Wednesday. 

Nils Nielsen’s side were simply dazzling, scoring twice in each half to secure a seventh AFC Women’s Asian Cup final appearance to set up an enticing showdown with Australia on Saturday in what will be a repeat of the 2014 and 2018 deciders, with Japan having won both.

Shin Sang-woo reinstated forward Jeon Yu-gyeong in the Korea Republic attack as he made four replacements to the side that beat Uzbekistan 6-0 in the quarter-finals, while Nielsen brought back Japan’s big guns who missed the 7-0 win over the Philippines, with goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita, centre-back Saki Kumagai and leading scorer Riko Ueki among the seven changes.

Japan strikes early

Japan seized control from the start, and the Korea Republic’s back-five defence survived a scare in the seventh minute following a delightful move which saw Maika Hamano backheeling Hinata Miyazawa’s pass to the surging Hana Takahashi, whose effort was parried by Kim Min-jung, with Yui Hasegawa missing a sitter from the rebound.

That, however, was a prelude to what was to come with Japan opening the scoring in the 15th minute. Heavy pressing forced a mistake from Kim Shin-ji with Fuka Nagano pinching the ball off the Korea Republic midfielder in the penalty box before squaring to Ueki to sidefoot home her sixth goal in the tournament.

A rare Korea Republic attack presented Park Soo-jeong an opportunity to equalise four minutes later, but she dragged her shot wide while at the other end, Aoba Fujino dribbled into space only to send her effort sailing over the bar.

A moment of brilliance in the 25th minute saw Japan double their advantage when Hamano wriggled away from two markers near the corner flag and drove into the box before rifling the ball into the roof of the net from an acute angle. The ball settled in the Korea Republic net again four minutes later when an under-pressure Jang Sel-gi headed past her own keeper when trying to clear Takahashi’s knockdown, but the goal was ruled out for a foul on Min-jung earlier in the move.

Japan had another goal disallowed in the 43rd minute with Fujino’s strike not counted for Hikaru Kitagawa’s handball earlier in the move, while Soo-jeong again did not find accuracy from a good position, sending her attempt wide as Japan looked comfortable going into the break. 

South Korea showed an approach, but failed to deliver

Winger Kang Chae-rim was sent on at the start of the second half as Korea Republic switched to a more attacking approach as they looked to rescue themselves but it was Japan who went close to increasing their lead. Good linkup play between Ueki and Nagano saw the latter surge into the box but drag her shot wide before the former thumped a header against the bar in the 63rd minute from Hamano’s corner delivery.

The third, however, came in the 75th minute as Min-jung’s decision to come off her line to punch away Momoko Tanikawa’s corner delivery saw her misjudging the flight of the ball, allowing Kumagai to nod home unchallenged. 

Korea Republic pulled one back three minutes later when Seo-jeong found Chae-rim in the box, and the latter’s first touch was perfect as she turned and fired the ball into the bottom corner – the first goal Japan have conceded at AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026. Japan, however, ended whatever hopes the Korea Republic had of mounting a comeback in the 81st minute following a quick break, with substitute Remina Chiba driving a low shot past Min-jung to emphatically send the two-time champions into the AFC Women’s Asian Cup final.

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