Japan edge out hosts Australia 1-0 to win football’s Women’s Asian Cup for the third time

SYDNEY – Maika Hamano scored the only goal as a formidable Japan battled past Australia to clinch a third Women’s Asian Cup title on March 21 in front of a record-breaking crowd of 74,397 in Sydney.

The Tottenham Hotspur star hit a stunning long-range strike in the 17th minute at Stadium Australia to break Australian hearts and add to their continental crowns from 2014 and 2018.

Those finals were also against Australia and also ended 1-0.

Asian champions in 2010, the Matildas gave as good as they got in a high-quality final and ultimately paid the price for their inability to convert the chances they created.

Australia’s record scorer Sam Kerr was well shackled inside the penalty box and her fellow striker Caitlin Foord failed to make the most of the chances.

The Nadeshiko were forced into desperate defence in the final 10 minutes as Australia, playing in their fifth Asian Cup final and roared on by the crowd, poured forward in search of an equaliser.

Substitute Emily van Egmond had two shots blocked and tournament Most Valuable Player Alanna Kennedy’s header from Ellie Carpenter’s cross was well saved by Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita.

Former world champions Japan, playing in their seventh final, held on for victory.

“I feel relieved, I think it was a 50-50 game just as I predicted,” Japan’s Greenlander coach Nils Nielsen said.

“It’s very difficult to play Australia in Australia and I have to say they made themselves proud. In the end, I’m just happy. The girls fought with everything they had.”

The edge-of-the-seat decider culminated a landmark tournament with more than 350,000 fans through the turnstiles, reinforcing the growth in popularity of the women’s game.

This was around six times as many as the previous record set in 2010 in China.

The Asian Cup doubled as qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil in 2027, with Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, North Korea and the Philippines all punching their tickets.

The Japanese team stacked with English-based players were invincible in their run to the final, fluid across the park and defending well.

While Australia proved a much tougher test, nothing could stop them as they accumulated 29 goals and conceded just one through their six games to reinforce their status as Asia’s No. 1 team. West Ham’s Riko Ueki was the tournament’s top scorer with six goals.

“We had opportunities and they had a couple of opportunities too, it was a tight game,” said dejected Australia coach Joe Montemurro.

“But we were competing with the No. 6 team in the world. Credit to the girls for their performance. It just wasn’t our night.”

Japan fielded an unchanged line-up from their 4-1 semi-final thumping of South Korea.

Australia made one change from their 2-1 defeat of defending champions China, with Wini Heatley preferred in central defence to Clare Hunt.

The hosts were composed at the start, looking to dictate, and Foord should have scored on 11 minutes when Mary Fowler threaded a pass through inside the box. But the unmarked Arsenal striker sent her shot into the arms of Yamashita to miss a golden opportunity.

It proved costly with Japan breaking the deadlock six minutes later, when Hamano collected the ball outside the penalty area and unleashed a 25-yard rocket that found the top corner.

Foord had another chance when she pounced on a sloppy clearance from Yamashita, but failed to find the target from a tight angle, then scuffed another wide just before the break.

Japan were always a threat and Ueki went close twice in as many minutes soon after the restart.

With the game on a knife-edge, Australia threw everything they had at Japan in a desperate attempt to find an equaliser as the crowd noise reached fever pitch. But despite intense pressure, Japan were solid and absorbed the pressure to cling on for the win.

Defeat was heartbreak for Australia’s golden generation, who had been hoping to finally win a major title on home soil three years after reaching the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup the nation hosted.

“Probably one of the hardest (losses) in my career,” said defender Steph Catley. “I just think we did everything we could have. We were brave and created chances and it just wasn’t to be.” AFP, REUTERS