Women's Football Head Coach Shin Sang-woo Ahead of Bronze Medal Match: "We Will Defeat China"

South Korea women's national football team head coach Shin Sang-woo, who missed out on the dream of reaching the Asian Games final for the first time in history, has expressed his determination to defeat China and stand on the podium in the upcoming bronze medal match.

According to the Korea Football Association, Head Coach Shin stated at a press conference today (October 1) for the bronze medal match of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, "Although we have a short time (since the semi-final), we are preparing well," adding, "We will definitely win and take home the bronze medal."

The women's national football team led by Head Coach Shin will face China in the Asian Games bronze medal match at the same stadium tomorrow (October 2) at 3:00 PM.

South Korea failed to reach the final after suffering a 0-2 defeat against Japan in the semi-final on September 29.

Having previously won three bronze medals in women's football at the Asian Games (in 2010, 2014, and 2018), South Korea aimed to secure a medal of a different color at this tournament, dreaming of their first-ever appearance in the final and even the championship title, but once again fell short of clearing the semi-final hurdle.

Their next opponent, China, is a formidable adversary.

In head-to-head matches between the women's national teams, South Korea has played China 43 times, securing 4 victories.

Their last win against China dates back to August 2015 at the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) Women's East Asian Cup.

Playing again just three days after the semi-final also presents a challenging burden for the national team.

Head Coach Shin emphasized, "Both South Korea and China do not have much recovery time, so the team that scores the first goal will come closer to victory," adding, "China plays a direct and physical style of football, so we need to focus on individual defending and better prepare the details."

Shin expressed caution, stating, "I experienced playing against China once during last year's EAFF E-1 Championship, and we also analyzed their matches at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup (this year)," noting, "China is a powerhouse in Asian women's football and possesses strong physical attributes."

He vowed to put up a strong fight, saying, "If we do not get outmatched physically and play aggressively and with fighting spirit, we will be able to achieve a good result."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.