Japan beats South Korea 4-1 to set up Women’s Asian Cup final against Matildas

Riko Ueki and Maika Hamano scored first-half goals to set Japan on course for a 4-1 victory over South Korea on Wednesday and a spot in the Women’s Asian Cup final against Australia.

Japan dominated the semi-final at Sydney's Stadium Australia against a South Korea line-up that edged the Australians on goal difference in the group stage after both teams finished with two wins and a draw apiece.

Japan thought they had gone ahead 3-0 before when Aoba Fujino found the back of the net in the 43rd minute but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review.

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Asia's top-ranked, at No.7 in the FIFA rankings, increased its tally to 27 goals in the continental championship when veteran defender Saki Kumagai headed in from Momoko Tanikawa's swinging corner in the 75th.

"Nadeshiko" finally conceded a goal for the first time in the tournament when Kang Chae-rim turned and fired in a right-foot shot from close range in the 78th.

Remina Chiba restored the three-goal buffer with a powerful strike to make it 4-1 in the 81st.

The final will be played on Saturday in Sydney.

Japan beat Australia in back-to-back finals in 2014 and 2018 but neither team reached the championship decider in 2022, when China edged South Korea in the final.

Australia has reached the championship match four previous times since joining the Asian confederation but has only won the title once, in 2010. Japan lost four finals before finally clinching the title in 2014 for the first time.

Japan is the only Asian team to have won the Women’s World Cup — beating the US on penalties in the 2011 final.