North Korea, poured out 17 shots but lost to Japan! 'Championship hopes dashed' with a single set piece... Japan claims title at Women's U-20 Asian Cup for the first time in seven years

*This content was translated by AI.

Japan's U-20 women's national football team defeated North Korea to claim the Asian title.

On the 18th (Korea time), Japan secured a 1-0 victory over North Korea in the final of the '2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-20 Women's Asian Cup' held at Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand. The decisive goal came in the 11th minute of the second half when Momoka Sano scored.

With this win, Japan lifted the trophy for the seventh time in its history, marking its first title since 2019, seven years later. Additionally, Japan avenged its runner-up finish in the 2024 final, where it lost 1-2 to North Korea, achieving redemption after two years.

Japan is the most successful nation in the tournament's history, followed by South Korea (2004, 2013) and North Korea (2007, 2024).

North Korea, which aimed for back-to-back titles, dominated possession 6-4 and recorded 17 shots compared to Japan's 7, but ultimately failed to convert its opportunities and lost the championship due to a lack of clinical finishing.

North Korea pressed hard in the first half but failed to score. Starting with a shot by So Ryu-kyung in the 12th minute, they repeatedly tested the Japanese goal, but all efforts came to nothing.

Japan, which had adopted a defensive approach, decided the match with a single set piece in the 11th minute of the second half. Noah Fukushima delivered a sharp free kick, which Momoka Sano converted with a diving header to score the opening goal.

After conceding the goal, North Korea introduced Ho Kyung and Lee Su-jeong to launch a full-scale attack. However, they were unable to break through Japan's defensive wall and settled for the runner-up position.

Meanwhile, South Korea, coached by Park Yun-jeong, was eliminated after losing 0-3 to North Korea in the semi-finals on the 15th. Nevertheless, South Korea secured a spot in the '2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland', which is awarded to the top four teams of this tournament.

The U-20 Women's World Cup, scheduled for September, will feature four Asian teams: Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and China.

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*This content was translated by AI.