▲ South Korean players salute the national flag prior to the women's football semifinal match against Japan at the Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on September 29 for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
South Korea's women's national football team is set for its final showdown in pursuit of its first Asian Games medal in eight years.
Led by head coach Shin Sang-woo, the South Korean squad will face China in the bronze medal match of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on October 2 at 3 p.m. at the Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
Having achieved their best-ever Asian Games finishes with bronze medals at the Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014, and Jakarta-Palembang 2018 tournaments, South Korea fell short of reaching the tournament's final for the first time in history after suffering a 0-2 defeat to Japan in the semifinals held at the same stadium on September 29.
After failing to advance past the quarterfinals at the 2022 Hangzhou tournament held in 2023, South Korea returned to the semifinals in this competition.
A victory in the upcoming bronze medal match would secure the team's first medal in eight years. Their opponents, China, topped Group G in the group stage with two wins and one draw.
China subsequently defeated Vietnam 1-0 in the quarterfinals, but lost 0-2 to North Korea in the semifinals.
In historical head-to-head matchups between the women's national teams, South Korea has secured only four victories out of 43 encounters against China.
South Korea's last win against China dates back to August 2015 at the EAFF Women's East Asian Cup (1-0), followed by a slump of five draws and six losses over the last 11 matches.
However, given that the last three encounters ended in draws, South Korea remains well within striking distance.
Head coach Shin Sang-woo shared his plans, saying, "The Chinese squad is almost identical to the team we faced at the EAFF E-1 Championship last year (which ended in a 2-2 draw). We will first assess our players' physical conditions and consult with the coaching staff to prepare for the match against China."
First, the team needs to reopen its scoring path, having been kept scoreless for the first time in the tournament during the match against Japan.
The team must pin its hopes on the scoring prowess of players such as Yuri Choi, Yoon Soo-jung (both from Suwon FC Women), and Kim Min-ji (Seoul City Hall).
The upcoming match against China is expected to mark the final Asian Games appearance for South Korean women's football legend Ji So-yun (Suwon FC Women).
Born in 1991, Ji has earned 181 caps and scored 76 goals for the national team, holding the all-time records for both appearances and goals by a South Korean player. She is a top star in women's football who has long competed on international stages, including in Japan, England, and the United States.
Participating in her sixth Asian Games since the Doha 2006 tournament, she had vowed prior to the competition that it would be her last, expressing her strong determination to reach the final and win the gold medal, though those goals remained out of reach.
Reiterating that she will be 39 years old four years from now following the semifinal defeat against Japan, she has resolved to finish her Asian Games journey on a high note against China.
Meanwhile, the women's football final between North Korea and Japan will take place at the same stadium later that day starting at 7 p.m.
Having defeated South Korea, Japan aims for its third consecutive title following Jakarta and Hangzhou, while North Korea, having overcome China to reach the final, seeks to reclaim the top spot for the first time in 12 years since the Incheon 2014 tournament.
Japan and North Korea have faced each other in four out of the last five Asian Games women's football finals.
North Korea secured victories at the Doha and Incheon tournaments, while Japan triumphed at the Guangzhou and Hangzhou tournaments.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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