Source : ABC NEWS
Japan defeated South Korea 4-1 in their semi-final at Sydney’s Stadium Australia to force Japan to advance to the Women’s Asian Cup final. This will earn them a position against the Matildas in Saturday’s final.
” I was extremely happy of them today”, Japan manager Nils Nielsen told Paramount+.
” Sometimes it’s difficult to just move and play a team that has a lot more to offer than it does, and they did it.”
” They really made this game seem very easy and comfortable for us but it wasn’t, because South Korea is a great challenger.”
Some claimed that Japan’s victory in the final would have been an easy win, but critics claimed that it couldn’t be decided until the group performed at their level.
On the data displayed in front of a handful of 17, 367 followers at Homebush, the problem may be finding a group that’s also near to it.
Japan smothered South Korea with their press and dazzled them with their sumptuous passing. (Getty Images: Brendon Thorne)
In reality, the Nadeshiko put on a completely strong display from beginning to end, far exceeding South Korea’s.  ,
South Korea were completely and utterly amazed by the speed and precision of the game being passed around them in extremely disorienting bursts of speed while being cowed by the press’s relentless press’s relentless media efforts to earn them a deserved 3-3 pull against the Matildas in the group levels.
Goals from Riko Ueki and a gorgeous individual effort from 21-year-old Spurs striker Maika Hamano put Japan easily away early in the first half, with Aoba Fujino quite unlucky to be denied what would have been a stunning third solely for VAR to rule that the ball hit Hikaru Kitagawa’s arm in the lead up.  ,
The South Koreans did well to hold tight for most of the second half, but the dam soon burst when Saki Kumagai headed in a superb corner to make it 3-0.
South Korea’s own unrestrained energy gives them a chance of an unlikely comeback almost right away, as evidenced by Kang Chae-Rim’s direct, almost instant response.
However, they were always second best on the night, Remina Chiba’s emphatic finish soon after put the game to bed at 4-1 to set up a massive clash against the Matildas on Saturday night.
Saki Kumagai celebrates scoring her team’s third goal. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)
” That’s exactly why I’m here, to play Australia,” Nielson said.
” The Matildas really have an amazing team, they have adapted to whatever is coming their way.
” They have a great coach,” says the former student, who hasn’t been here in a while and has already accomplished so many nice transformations.
” You have a forward who is unbelievable, Sam Kerr, wow, she’s still one of the world’s best strikers and she’s showing it time and time again.
She can just keep going because she is a machine and a cyborg, according to Alice Carpenter.
” When they play in front of a crowd like this, Australia are big favourites, massive favourites for the final.
” Football can be played in many ways, Australia has done it fantastic, and we have played a respectable amount of it, but we can be better.”
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our blog.
Important Activations
South Korea vs. Japan
Thanks for being with us
Anyway, with that, we reach the end of our coverage.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me on Saturday night as the Matildas learned who they will face.
OF COURSE you know that we’ll be with you to bring you all the action as it happens on Saturday, with Henry Hanson and Amanda Shalala at the ground to bring you all the colour and excitement as it happens.
I’ll also be on deck, and the match is going to be incredibly entertaining.
We’ll see you then.
‘ We can be better’ as Nilsen says Australia ‘ favourites’
More from Nilsen, who is the most upbeat person I believe we could possibly hear from after a game.
He is excited about the final on Saturday, but is particularly effusive of how the Matildas have been playing.
” The Matildas really have an amazing team, they have adapted to whatever is coming their way,” he says.
” They have a great coach- so behave. Take it easy on the guy because he hasn’t been here in a while and has already accomplished a lot of nice transformations.
” You have a forward who is unbelievable, Sam Kerr, wow, she’s still one of the world’s best strikers and she’s showing it time and time again.
She can just keep going because she is a machine and a cyborg, according to Alice Carpenter.
” But my favourite part is to see Alana Kennedy to see the success she has had this tournament.
” I really want the best for her because she hasn’t had a good life since leaving Man City,” she said. for me, something that I didn’t approve of”.
Nilsen was a Manchester City coach when Kennedy was fired, so he has some knowledge of that circumstance.
It is then put to him that he is trying to lull Australian fans into a false sense of security after such a dominant performance.
He replies,” Oh no, that’s what I’m trying to do.”
” When they play in front of a crowd like this, Australia are big favourites, massive favourites for the final.”
He claims that despite being as impressive as Japan was, he believes Australia was just as good,” just in a different way.”
” Football can be played in many ways, Australia has done it fantastic and we have played reasonably well, but we can be better”, he says.
I cherish this person.
Nielsen playing Australia in the “exact reason I am here” final
Here is the Japan coach Nils Nielsen, who is effusive in his praise.
He says on Channel 10:” I was very proud of them today.
” Sometimes it’s not easy to just switch and play]a team ] that has much more to give and make it look easy- and they actually did it.
” They actually made this game look fairly simple and comfortable for us,” they said,” but it wasn’t because South Korea is a fantastic opponent.”
” It’s exactly the same when it comes to Australia… that’s exactly why I am here, to play Australia”.
He claims that the Japanese could be better at what they did.
” Please don’t tell Australia, but we have played better than we did today- but we were good today and I was happy with them”, he says.
Because it is difficult, you kind of enter a rhythm, and it wasn’t that rhythm, so we needed to find more gear, we needed to find more gear, and we did.
The figures are for Japan.
The only stat that really matters is the scoreline, to be honest.
However, all the figures demonstrate just how dominant Japan was.
Japan had 21 shots on goal, nine of which were on target from a whopping 84 entries into the final third of the pitch.
Korea, in contrast, received 39 entries into Japan’s final third of the game.
The possession evened out a little, Japan ending with 64 per cent of the ball.
However, they completed 590 passes with 88 percent accuracy throughout the entire match, which is a feat of precision that is difficult to comprehend at this level.
A dominant performance in every way.
Lock it in- coverage starts at 5: 00pm on Saturday night…
I’m anticipating winning the Matilda’s story because it will become folklore after the final match against Japan!
– Mike
The Matildas will need to go to a whole new level on Saturday
There’s Japan, then there’s everyone else.
The world number eight was in its own realm tonight, and while South Korea put up the best fight it could, it never really stood a chance.
The Japanese women can manipulate the ball in ways we haven’t seen from any other side through this tournament, and their finishing in front of goal is elite.
The Matildas have been expanding with each game throughout this tournament, but they’ll have to come up with something to end Japan’s hot streak.
FT: Dominant Japan demonstrate their ability to reach the final
Well, there’s been plenty of people who have been wary of proclaiming Japan the real deal on account of their limited opposition so far this tournament.
Those people may need to reassess after a brutal, efficient and overwhelmingly beautiful display from Nadeshiko Japan.
They have absolutely crushed South Korea 4-1- it really could have been more as well, with two goals ruled out for offside.
South Korea have a strong defensive line, but an energetic Japanese side repeatedly hit them and caused them to crumble.
Japan look every inch the champions elect, but South Korea did prove one thing to the Australian supporters- they can bleed.
South Korea scored the only goal the Japanese have conceded throughout the entire tournament, with just one. Can that give Joe Montermurro the clue to pick the Japanese apart?
90+8 ‘ VAR decides no penalty
Hmm, I think that could have happened in any way.
You’ve seen them given, as they say.
90+5 ‘ Nasty head clash prompts VAR check
In the penalty area, Hana Takahashi and Ji Soyun have engaged in a nasty head fight.
VAR is going to have a look at this from the perspective of there being a possible penalty.
Unintentionally striking the Korean striker, Takahashi moved her head down and raised it before touching it.
But make contact she did and it could be considered reckless at best…
The referee will examine the monitor!
90+3 ‘ Chance Japan
Hana Takahashi has a go from an acute angle as Japan counters deep into stoppage time.
But her wild shot is far off the mark.
90 + 1 Chance South Korea
This is gutsy from South Korea. They have been second best by a long way tonight; to be honest, saying they have been the second best team in the park degrades the officials.
But they haven’t given up, with Kang Chae-rim having a dig from the edge of the penalty area that is comfortably saved.
However, they are still pushing in a cause that will be unproductive.
90 + 1″ There will be 5 more minutes.
Japan has the ball in the net after 86 seconds, but it’s offside.
It was a hell of header from Matsukubo.
Matsukubo headed the ball into the net as soon as Takahashi saw the flag raised, but she was standing offside and had her arms raised in delight.
Chance Korea 84
Korea win the ball on the edge of the Japan penalty area- that’s a rarity in this game- and it falls to goalscorer Kang, who powers a shot towards goal but it’s well saved by Yamashita.
Japan ominously impressive
It is incredibly concerning to consider that we tied 3-3 with South Korea and that Japan is giving them the appearance of a chumps.
– Euan
This game has levels.
Japan has shown tonight that they are on the top of those levels.
81 ‘ JAPAN WITH A FOURTH!
GAME OVER!
Gorgeous from Japan!
Korea pushed forward in search of an unlikely second, and that’s what cost them. They had a bit of a spring in their step.
Japan win the ball in their own half, there’s acres of space on the left for Remina Chiba to run into- she gets to the edge of the penalty area and, head down, blasts the game winner into the bottom corner.
A sensational goal from Japan restores their three-goal lead.
What a Finish for Korea! 78
MAYBE IT’S NOT DONE YET!
The ball was swung in from the right side of the field, Kang Chae-rim controlled it with her back to the goal, turned, and then powered the ball into the bottom corner of the goal!
The Korean fans go absolutely wild and it’s- perhaps- game on again!
Japan leads 1-1!
Crowd person
17, 367 fans have turned out tonight and, although this is an 80, 000 seat stadium, it has been a great atmosphere.
75 ‘ Japan scores a third!
Saki Kumagai receives the third!
The veteran London City Lionesses defender rises high in the penalty area and, helped by a wild, flailing effort from Kim Min-jeong, who horribly misjudged the flight from the left side corner.
It’s a lovely corner that was brilliantly directed in the direction of the danger area, and the header did the same.
3-0- the Japanese are well on their way now.
In her 166th appearance for Japan, Saki has just scored her fourth international goal.
