The South Korean women's football team, aiming for its first-ever Asian Games final, started strong in the group stage by defeating Myanmar 5-0.
Under the guidance of head coach Shin Sang-woo, South Korea triumphed in the first match of Group F at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held at Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka, Japan, thanks to a hat trick from Kim Min-ji, along with goals from Jang Seul-ki and Choi Yu-ri.
Ranked 19th by FIFA, South Korea took control early against 55th-ranked Myanmar, launching a relentless offensive.
In the 29th minute of the first half, Kim Min-ji scored the opening goal with a left-footed shot after evading a defender.
Four minutes later, she headed in a cross from Jang Seul-ki to double the lead. Jang then scored herself in the 38th minute, extending South Korea's advantage to 3-0.
The offensive continued into the second half.
In the 59th minute, Kim Min-ji completed her hat trick by scoring again after receiving a pass from Jang Seul-ki. She was substituted shortly after to conserve energy.
Choi Yu-ri sealed the victory in the 76th minute, scoring after rounding the goalkeeper.
Despite missing two penalty kicks earned by Choi Yu-ri and Son Hwa-yeon in the early and mid-second half, South Korea secured a decisive win.
With this victory, South Korea earned three points but sits in second place in the group due to goal difference, trailing North Korea, which defeated Bangladesh 10-0. Myanmar is in third place, followed by Bangladesh.
In this tournament, the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarterfinals.
South Korea is striving for its first final appearance and a medal in this competition.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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