The South Korea women's soccer team secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games by defeating China 1-0 on October 2 at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Fukuroi, Japan.
Under the guidance of head coach Shin Sang-woo, South Korea reached the podium for the first time in eight years since the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games. This marks their fourth bronze medal, following previous wins in 2010 Guangzhou, 2014 Incheon, and 2018. The team also overcame the disappointment of finishing in the quarterfinals at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
South Korea ended an 11-year winless streak against China, with their last victory coming in August 2015 during the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) East Asian Cup, where they won 1-0. Since then, they faced China 11 times, recording five draws and six losses.
The decisive goal came just four minutes into the match. In a set-piece situation, Kim Hye-ri (Suwon FC Women) delivered a ball into the box, which Choi Yu-ri (Suwon FC Women) headed down to No Jin-young (Gyeongju Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power), who finished with a header.
After taking the lead, South Korea effectively blocked China's counterattacks, allowing only three shots in the first half, none of which were on target.
Goalkeeper Kim Kyung-hee (Suwon FC Women), who stepped in due to an injury to starter Kim Min-jung (Incheon Hyundai Steel), made a crucial save in the 50th minute, denying a header from China. Defender Ko Yu-jin (Incheon Hyundai Steel) continued to play despite having her foot stepped on, wrapped in bandages.
In the 69th minute, a shot from China's Wang Shuang hit the crossbar. South Korea held firm against China's increased offensive efforts to secure the victory.
Initially aiming for a spot in the finals, South Korea faced disappointment after losing 2-0 to Japan in the semifinals on September 29. However, they concluded the tournament on a high note by defeating the strong Chinese team to finish in third place.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.