The South Korea women's soccer team was unable to overcome host nation Japan in the semifinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Under the guidance of head coach Shin Sang-woo, South Korea lost 0-2 to Japan in the women's soccer semifinals held on September 29 at Ecopa Stadium in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture.
This defeat extended South Korea's winless streak against Japan to 11 years, dating back to a 2-1 victory in the East Asian Cup in August 2015.
South Korea aimed for its first-ever final appearance since women's soccer was introduced at the Asian Games in 1990 but fell short once again at the semifinal stage.
The best performance by the South Korean women's soccer team in the Asian Games came in 2010 in Guangzhou, 2014 in Incheon, and 2018 in Jakarta-Palembang, where they secured bronze medals three times.
In a match played under heavy rain, South Korea deployed Choi Yu-ri (Suwon FC) at the forefront, supported by Ji So-yeon, Yoon Soo-jung (both from Suwon FC), and Hyun Seul-ki (Gyeongju Hanwha) in the midfield. The first half was tightly contested, with Choi Yu-ri missing a crucial opportunity in the 32nd minute when she shot over the goal after capitalizing on a defensive error.
South Korea managed to avoid conceding a goal in the first half, finishing 0-0 despite a close call when Japan's Kamiya Jiina hit the crossbar in the 45th minute.
At the start of the second half, South Korea brought in Son Hwa-yeon (Kangjin Swans) for Hyun Seul-ki to boost their attack. In the 52nd minute, Jeong Min-young (Ottawa Fury) had a sharp long-range shot saved by the Japanese goalkeeper, raising hopes for a comeback.
However, South Korea's defense faltered, leading to two quick goals. In the 54th minute, Ueno Mami's cross was headed in by Kamiya for the opening goal. Then, in the 63rd minute, a critical back pass error from South Korea's defense allowed Kamiya to score again with a long-range shot.
Trailing 0-2, South Korea made substitutions, bringing on Jeong Da-bin (Stabæk) and Han Da-in (Suwon FC) for Yoon Soo-jung and Kim Hye-ri (Suwon FC) in search of a goal. Despite increasing possession and looking for openings in Japan's defense, South Korea could not break through and ultimately lost the match.
With their hopes of reaching the final dashed, South Korea will face China in the bronze medal match on October 2 at 3 PM at the same venue.
Earlier in the day, China lost to North Korea 0-2 in the other semifinal.
In the final, Japan will meet North Korea at 7:30 PM on the same day.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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