2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup Final

The venue of the final
Event	2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup
Japan Australia 1 0
Date	20 April 2018
Venue	Amman International Stadium, Amman
Referee	Ri Hyang-ok (North Korea)
Attendance	3,065

The 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup Final was a football match at the Amman International Stadium in Amman, Jordan which determined the winner of the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup. The final was contested between Japan and Australia, teams which were also the finalists of the previous edition held in 2014.

Japan defeated Australia 1–0 in the final to win their second consecutive title.^[1]

Background

Japan were the defending champions of the AFC Women's Asian Cup having defeated Australia in the final of the 2014 edition in Vietnam to win their first continental title.^[2] The two sides had met in the group stage of the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup. Their encounter ended in a 1–1 draw.^[3]

The match also marked Australia's third consecutive appearance in a Women's Asian Cup final.^[4] This feat was last achieved by China which featured in the final of the 2003, 2006, and 2008 editions.

Australia's previous victory against Japan in a major tournament was their match up at the 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Vietnam, where it knockout their East Asian opposition out of the semifinals and win the title. Australia has been beaten by Japan since then including their quarter final loss in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.^[5]

Route to the final

Australia and Japan were both part of Group B in the group stage. Australia finished as group leaders and had to face second-placers Thailand in the semifinal while Japan had to play against China, the Group A leaders. The semifinalists of the tournament including Australia and Japan secured a berth at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup by finishing among the top two teams in their group.

Australia was trailing 1–2 to Thailand in their semifinal tie before Australia made an equalizer just before the end of the regulation time. This meant that the match had to go to extra time but no further goals were made and penalty shoot-out was held to determine which among the two teams to advance to the final. Australia outscored Thailand in the penalties.^[6] Japan won over China in the other semifinal with the sole Chinese goal being scored from a penalty kick in the 90th minute. ^[7]

Japan		Round	Australia
Opponent	Result	Group stage	Opponent	Result
Vietnam	4–0	Match 1	South Korea	0–0
South Korea	0–0	Match 2	Vietnam	8–0
Australia	1–1	Match 3	Japan	1–1
Group B runner-up Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Australia 3 1 2 0 9 1 +8 5  Japan 3 1 2 0 5 1 +4 5  South Korea 3 1 2 0 4 0 +4 5  Vietnam 3 0 0 3 0 16 −16 0 Source:		Final standings	Group B winner Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Australia 3 1 2 0 9 1 +8 5  Japan 3 1 2 0 5 1 +4 5  South Korea 3 1 2 0 4 0 +4 5  Vietnam 3 0 0 3 0 16 −16 0 Source:
Opponent	Result	Knockout stage	Opponent	Result
China	3–1	Semi-finals	Thailand	2–2 (a.e.t.) (3–1 p)

Match

Australian winger Hayley Raso, right knee injury, was ruled out of the Final.

In the first half, Australia had a chance to score when they were awarded a penalty after Saki Kumagai handled Tameka Butt’s shot at goal in the 14th minute, but Ayaka Yamashita saved the penalty from Elise Kellond-Knight.

In the 84th minute, substitute Kumi Yokoyama received the ball from Yui Hasegawa and shot the ball into the top corner of the net from 18 yards scoring the winning goal.

Details

20 April 2018 (2018-04-20)

20:00 EEST

Japan	1–0	Australia
Yokoyama 84'	Report

Amman International Stadium, Amman

Attendance: 3,065

Referee: Ri Hyang-ok (North Korea)

Japan

Australia

GK 18 Ayaka Yamashita RB 22 Risa Shimizu CB 4 Saki Kumagai (c)  14' CB 5 Nana Ichise LB 3 Aya Sameshima RM 7 Emi Nakajima CM 10 Mizuho Sakaguchi CM 2 Rumi Utsugi LM 14 Yui Hasegawa CF 13 Yuika Sugasawa  72' CF 8 Mana Iwabuchi Substitutes: GK 1 Sakiko Ikeda GK 21 Chika Hirao DF 6 Saori Ariyoshi DF 17 Hikari Takagi DF 23 Shiori Miyake MF 12 Hikaru Naomoto MF 15 Moeno Sakaguchi MF 16 Rin Sumida MF 19 Rika Masuya FW 9 Nahomi Kawasumi FW 11 Mina Tanaka FW 20 Kumi Yokoyama  72' Manager: Asako Takakura

GK 1 Lydia Williams RB 21 Ellie Carpenter CB 4 Clare Polkinghorne CB 14 Alanna Kennedy LB 7 Stephanie Catley (c) RM 6 Chloe Logarzo CM 13 Tameka Butt CM 8 Elise Kellond-Knight  80' LM 10 Emily van Egmond CF 20 Samantha Kerr CF 11 Lisa De Vanna  60' Substitutes: GK 12 Casey Dumont GK 18 Mackenzie Arnold DF 2 Caitlin Cooper DF 5 Laura Alleway MF 3 Aivi Luik MF 9 Alex Chidiac MF 19 Katrina Gorry FW 15 Emily Gielnik FW 17 Kyah Simon  60' FW 22 Larissa Crummer FW 23 Michelle Heyman   Manager: Alen Stajcic

Aftermath

Japan won their second AFC Women's Asian Cup title. Japan's win also marks the first time a national team won the continental title two times consecutively, a feat last done North Korea who emerged champions of the 2001 and 2003 editions. It was also the first title won by Japan women's team under the tutelage of manager, Asako Takakura and the third major title within the last seven years.^[8]

References