South Korea 1 Japan 4
Sydney relies on good weather to host a good event, but as many weddings, birthdays and beach parties have seen sunshine replaced by late afternoon rain on a balmy autumn day, some of the best events take place when everyone comes together thanks to the elements. As the drizzle started over an hour from kick off, workers running to cover the DJ decks and rain drifting into the upper reaches of the stands, outside in the precinct the fans were taking cover under the newly erected giant marquee and taking advantage of the purple gym towels being handed out at the Health Hub to keep dry. But they were undeterred. By the start of the pre-game sequence in the stadium, the north end was busy with South Korea fans, not a sign of their Japanese counterparts.
The Welcome to Country by the rather relaxed Uncle was an unfortunate inaudible waffle mentioning K-Pop and J-Pop, but the crowd warmed to the unexpected fireworks display that followed, the rain having now stopped and we had a perfect night for football on our hands. The wind blew the smoke quickly away leaving us with a clear stadium for the immaculate national anthems, South Korea’s We’ll Support You Ever More sung in an operatic style followed by a Sarah Brightman Phantom of the Opera number for Japan. The Japan fans piped up immediately with a shout of Nippon Nippon, but they would be heavily outnumbered today.
Aoba Fujino smashed in the first shot of the game, deflected wide for a corner and Yui Hasegawa’s cross caused utter panic in the South Korea penalty area but the defence scrambled the ball away. The Korean fans were loud, they were numerous, and when they grouped in together, they were a wall of red. Contrast that to the group of ten Japan fans with their drum at the opposite end, and it was clear who was the home team. Japan should have scored when they worked a beautiful opening across the box for a fierce shot – Kim Minjung made the save but only into the path of the darling of Japanese football Yui Hasegawa who could only fire wide of the gaping goal.
Riko Ueki rifled a shot wide as Japan kept up the pressure, their opponents doing themselves no favours with their sloppy clearances. Hana Takahashi got on the end of another exquisite Yui Hasegawa corner but it was easy for Kim Minjung. Aoba Fujino fired in a shot on the run that Ko Yoo Jin did well to block before Fuka Nagano pounced on a clearance at the edge of the box but could only screw the shot harmlessly wide. This was a physical game, the referee letting play go on despite some meaty challenges, but she had to stop play with Japan on the break when the ball struck her, much to the annoyance of the all-blue Japanese players. When South Korea dallied in defence, Kim Shinji was far too slow to offload and she had her pocket picked by Fuka Nagano, who squared to Riko Ueki for a simple finish under Kim Minjung for 1-0.
Just as the neutral in the crowd began to wonder how many Japan would rack up against their luminous orange opponents, a loose ball dropped invitingly for Park Soo Jeong, who steadied herself and rifled a shot just past the post – a warning shot. Don’t discount the South Koreans just yet. Aoba Fujino was next to test the Korean rearguard, smashing a shot just over from the edge of the area to oohs from the totally enthralled fans. A moment of pure magic made it two, Hikaru Kitagawa’s cross was too long but Maika Hamano scampered after the ball, pursued by two defenders. She somehow tricked her way out of the challenge and took two steps towards goal, unleashing an unstoppable shot from the acute angle to burst the roof of the net. What a goal! South Korea did venture forward, Choo Hyojoo showing good feet to make space for a shot, but the ball sailed harmlessly over Ayaka Yamashita’s goal.
Japan were relentless. Yui Hasegawa had the ball on a string, and from her cross, Aoba Fujino had the ball in the net with a close-range header but this time she was offside and the Korean fans roared with a mixture of relief and delight. This was a bombardment, South Korea were receiving back what they had delivered to Uzbekistan in the quarter finals, and the sight of their defence under siege had the Australian fans watching on wide-eyed at the prospect of Japan overrunning the Matildas on Saturday evening back at this grand stadium. The huge wall of red continued to support their heroes, even as Aoba Fujino curled one just around the post. South Korea went to their bench early to try and soak up the attacks, but when Riko Ueki raced on to a loose ball up the line, her pinpoint pass inside found Aoba Fujino and the curling finish past Kim Minjung was sublime. But wait, a VAR check, and in a perfect move for the neutral, an earlier handball was spotted and a fabulous goal was ruled out, again to a huge roar from the South Korean fans. The resulting free kick gave Park Soo Jeong a sniff at goal, her shot from the edge of the area dropping just past the post with Ayaka Yamashita untroubled.
The half ended as it started, Japan pouring on the pressure, South Korea forced to their bench again after an injury to Mun Eunju and the half-time whistle sounded in a moment of confusion, neither referee nor assistant willing to make a call as to which way the throw-in was being awarded. This had been a fantastic half of football, flowing with little input from the referee and two strong, physical teams going head to head with so much at stake. The Japanese fans at the South end grew in numbers, the Aussie kids deciding they needed help, while the drummers bashed away in the Korean end competing with the thumping stadium music. We had a half-time performance, a drumming troupe that was complemented perfectly by the South Korean drum squad dressed in white in the middle of the sea of red.
South Korea were forced into another change at half time, their third as Kang Chaerim came on to try and change the game. They were enlivened too, Japan’s first attack a horribly scuffed shot by Hana Takahashi although South Korea were guilty of over-playing after they had done so well to get rare moments of possession. A beautiful lay-off by Riko Ueki set Fuka Nagano away for a one-on-one with Kim Minjung but she never looked confident and dragged the shot hopelessly wide of the post. Japan were calm in possession, despite their opponents fizzing about in hot pursuit; it was difficult to see how South Korea would get anything out of this game at all. They started to take more risks, leaving more orange shirts further upfield, but what else could they do?
Park Soo Jeong raced up the left, but her cross was well smothered by Ayaka Yamashita, South Korea giving their vocal fans a thrill, but again Japan threatened and it seemed like a matter of time before Japan added to their tally to make their passage to the final more comfortable. Riko Ueki’s bullet header from a corner struck the bar, before clever close control by Kim Hyeri earned South Korea a free kick. They sent everyone up and wasted the free kick, but managed to win a corner, the stadium coming to life as Kim Hyeri swung in the cross, but Ayaka Yamashita leapt to snatch the ball out of the air to quell the excitement. South Korea had upped their game. They chased and hassled, leaving themselves exposed but playing with sharp precision to get out of trouble at the back. Every mis-placed pass by Japan had the noise levels at maximum, and when Kim Hyeri launched a free-kick into the Japan penalty area, the screams were piercing.
A third goal did arrive, a corner from the right tempting Kim Minjung out of goal and Saki Kumugai had the simplest of headers into an empty net for 3-0. The goalscorer was delighted and raced to the sideline for high fives from the whole squad. Japan had seemingly stamped their ticket to the final, but South Korea had other ideas, Kang Chaerim starting and finishing a move with an unbelievable turn and shot from the edge of the area that squeezed past Ayaka Yamashita for 3-1. The stadium was bouncing, all of a sudden Japan were under pressure and South Korean tails were up. The result was though put beyond doubt when Japan counter-attacked with ruthless simplicity, Manaka Matsukubo finding the perfect pass to Remina Chiba in space on the left, who advanced and rifled her shot past Kim Minjung for 4-1. The Korean fans had already seen their goal though, and they were in full voice despite their team effectively dead and buried.
The crowd figure of 17,367 was no disgrace, the Korean fans making all the noise, and the volume was taken up a further notch when Choe Yuri wriggled through but could only shoot straight at the Japanese goalkeeper. A fifth goal was quite rightly chalked off for offside, Hana Takahashi going for power with a cross-shot, but Yuzuki Yamamoto was offside when she bravely headed the fierce cross into the net. There was time for Choe Yuri to threaten again, her pass inside finding Kang Chaerim but the shot was saved. South Korea were by now leaving massive holes in defence, but it was all in context; they had to be applauded for making a game of it in the second half and they kept the game exciting despite the scoreline. A late late unexpected VAR call had the Korean fans frothing, the referee disappearing to the monitor when we had all expected the final whistle. There was such disappointment when the arm was raised for offside instead of pointing for the penalty.
Japan decided they needed to run down the rest of the time in the corner flag, the stadium bursting into blaring music at full-time to drown out the South Korean fans and the celebrating pack of Japanese fans. Both sets of players kept to themselves after the formal handshakes, the Japanese squad forming a tight circle and the South Korean fans disappearing behind the goal to salute their fabulous fans. This was a farewell, every Korean fan applauding as the players left the field, while their victorious opponents bowed respectfully to their fans from a distance. The stadium was virtually empty by the time the Japanese players left the field, the camera crews working them into orderly lines to bow before their few fans scattered throughout the stadium.
Heavyweights Japan had cruised into the AFC Women’s Asian Cup final, South Korea made to look like a lowly ranked outsider, but we can be thankful to the gracious Korean team for making a contest of it in the second half, as well as for their colourful and boistrous fans. We have two fascinating play-off matches to come first, but this weekend’s final is going to be an incredible occasion – Australia yet to play to their full potential up against the well-oiled machine of Japan, who just look imperious. Cancel all plans for Saturday – if the Matildas win this one, they’re going to pull off something special at Stadium Australia that the country will be talking about for years to come.