The South Korea women's soccer team kicked off the 2026 Aichi Nagoya Asian Games with a commanding 5-0 victory over Myanmar, marking a strong start in their quest for a historic gold medal.
Under the guidance of head coach Shin Sang-woo, South Korea (ranked 19th by FIFA) triumphed in their Group F opener on September 14 at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, thanks to a hat trick from Kim Min-ji against Myanmar (ranked 55th).
This match also drew attention as it featured a showdown between South Korea and Myanmar's coach, Colin Bell, who previously led the South Korean team for four years until 2024.
South Korea seized control of the game early on but struggled to convert opportunities against Myanmar's packed defense. The breakthrough came in the 29th minute when Kim Min-ji deceived a defender near the penalty arc and scored with a left-footed shot.
Once the floodgates opened, goals followed quickly. In the 33rd minute, Kim Min-ji connected with a high header from a cross by Jang Seul-ki for a second goal, and just five minutes later, Jang Seul-ki scored herself with a low, swift shot from outside the penalty area, ending the first half at 3-0.
South Korea continued to press in the second half. In the 59th minute, Kim Min-ji completed her hat trick by calmly finishing a ground pass from Jang Seul-ki.
Despite missing two penalty kick opportunities later in the half, South Korea capped off their victory in the 76th minute when Choi Yu-ri scored after receiving a long pass and beating the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation.
In an earlier match in the same group, North Korea (ranked 11th) overwhelmed Bangladesh (ranked 107th) with a staggering 10-0 win, scoring seven goals in the first half and converting 10 out of 21 shots on target.
With both South Korea and North Korea earning three points in their opening matches, North Korea leads Group F on goal difference (+10) while South Korea follows in second place (+5). Myanmar and Bangladesh sit in third and fourth, respectively.
The tournament format allows the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, to advance to the quarterfinals.
South Korea will face Bangladesh in their second match on September 17, followed by a crucial final group match against North Korea on September 21.
The team's goal for this tournament is to secure their first-ever gold medal. Since women's soccer became an official event in the 1990 Beijing Games, South Korea has participated in nine tournaments but has never reached the finals. Their best results have been three consecutive bronze medals in 2010, 2014, and 2018. In the last tournament in Hangzhou, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by North Korea, losing 4-1.
The challenge is significant, as gold medals have been shared among China, North Korea, and Japan in the past nine tournaments.
Host nation Japan (ranked 5th) and China (ranked 16th) also showcased dominant performances in their opening matches. Japan, in Group E, defeated Thailand (ranked 49th) 8-0, while China triumphed over Hong Kong (ranked 81st) with a score of 5-1.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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