Japan defeated South Korea 4-1 to face Australia in the Women’s Asian Cup final Football news

Japan will face Australia in the final of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup after beating South Korea 2-1 in the semi-finals.

Riko Yuki and Mika Hamano scored first-half goals to give Japan a 4-1 win over South Korea and a place in the Women’s Asian Cup final against Australia.

Japan dominated the semi-final against South Korea at Sydney Stadium on Wednesday, beating the Australians on goal difference in the group stage after both teams finished with two wins and a draw each.

Japan thought they had taken a 3-0 lead before half-time with Aoba Fujino scoring in the 43rd minute, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review.

Japan, Asia’s top-ranked team at No. 7 in the FIFA rankings, rose to 27 goals in the continental championship as veteran defender Saki Kumagai headed home Momoko Tanikawa’s swinging corner kick in the 75th.

Nadeshiko finally conceded a goal for the first time in the tournament when Kang Chae-rim turned and fired in a right-footed shot in the 78th minute.

Remina Chiba restored the three-goal buffer with a powerful strike to make it 4-1 in the 81st.

The final will be played in Sydney on Saturday.

Japan beat Australia in back-to-back finals in 2014 and ’18 but neither team reached the championship decider in 2022 when China defeated South Korea in the final.

Australia have reached the championship match four times since joining the Asian Confederation but have won the title only once, in 2010. Japan lost four finals before finally winning the title for the first time in 2014.

Japan is the only Asian team to win the Women’s World Cup – beating the United States on penalties in the 2011 final.

Sam Kerr scored the winner in the 58th minute to give Australia a 2-1 win over defending champions China in their first ever semi-final, two years after losing a World Cup semi-final on home soil.

All four semifinalists here have automatically qualified for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

In Thursday’s playoff for two more spots in Brazil, Taiwan will face North Korea and the Philippines will face Uzbekistan on the Gold Coast.