China PR and Korea Republic have become the latest AFC nations to secure passage to the FIFA Women’s World Cup™. While China needed extra-time to see off a valiant Chinese Taipei side in Perth, it was far more comfortable for a Korean side that proved too strong for Uzbekistan in Sydney.
For the final time, the ongoing AFC Women’s Asian Cup serves as the qualification tournament for the global showpiece, with the four quarter-final winners securing automatic passage to the Women’s World Cup.
Two additional berths will be settled via a pair of play-in matches between the nations that lose those last-eight match-ups with the losing nations in those fixtures then advancing to the Play-Off Tournament.
Australia defeated Korea DPR 2-1 on Friday to become the first AFC qualifier, while Japan square off with the Philippines in Sydney tomorrow, to round out the quarter-finals.
China PR goals: Shao Ziqin (94), Chen Ying-hui (117, OG)
In sweltering conditions in Western Australia, China PR put their continental crown on the line against a rapidly improving Chinese Taipei outfit who entered this clash off the back of successive wins to close the group stage.
The underdogs were missing injured first-choice goalkeeper Wang Yu-ting but hardly missed a beat with 36-year-old back-up Cheng Ssu-yu repelling almost everything that China threw at her.
The Steel Roses bossed possession but found carving out clear chances harder to manage. The best of the first half moments fell to star forward Wang Shuang, who did well to power a header past Cheng but that effort was chalked off, after a VAR review, for an offside in the build-up.
China had height up front in the shape of the towering Shao Ziqin and weren’t afraid to play direct to the Jiangsu Wuxi forward. Time after time, though, she was thwarted by the outstanding Cheng. What the veteran custodian couldn’t stop, the bar did as substitute Zhang Rui saw an effort in the seventh minute of stoppage time rattle off the woodwork.
That sent the match to extra time, where eventually China made the breakthrough with a deft touch from Wang teeing up Shao, who cushioned a shot from the top of the box that finally beat the Chinese Taipei keeper.
Cheng then saved a late Wurigumula penalty before an own goal off the chest of Chinese Taipei captain Chen Ying-hui finally settled things. Chinese Taipei now face Korea DPR in one of next week’s play-in matches while China march on to the semi-finals, maintaining their wonderful record of having reached at least the last four at every edition of the Women’s Asian Cup.
Korea Republic goals: Son Hwayeon (9), Ko Yujin (20), Park Soojeong (57) Ji Soyun (72), Lee Eunyoung (85), Jang Selgi (90+3)
Bidding to qualify for a fourth consecutive Women’s World Cup, Korea Republic suffered a blow when they lost Norway-based starlet Jeon Yugyeong to an injury in the warm-ups. That blow quickly turned to an unexpected blessing as the player drafted in, Son Hwayeon, tucked home a well-weighted Choe Yuri cross to put the East Asian nation a goal to the good inside the first ten minutes.
Captain Ko Yujin rifled home a superb second from distance and only some fine work from Uzbekistan keeper Maftuna Jonimqulova kept things that way heading to the interval.
Uzbekistan were featuring for the first time in a knockout stage encounter at continental level and struggled to match the persistent intensity shown by the Koreans. One of her nations rising stars, Italy-based winger Park Soojeong, made it three as she lashed home through a crowd of bodies just shy of the hour.
Ji Soyun, the Taegeuk Ladies most capped player, side-footed home a fourth after a give-and-go with Mun Eunju before substitute Lee Eunyoung joined the scoring party. A late Jang Selgi penalty then rounded out the comprehensive win.
Korea Republic, runners-up four years ago, duly teed up a semi-final date with either Japan or the Philippines and celebrated a return to the Women’s World Cup, where they will be targeting to improve on their best finish, a Round of 16 appearance at Canada 2015.
Selected images courtesy of the AFC
