The group stage of the Women’s Asian Cup has drawn to a close, and Matchday 3 was the best of the lot.
Australia and South Korea played out an exhilarating 3-3 draw which saw the Taegeuk Ladies take top spot in Group A.
China defeated North Korea 2-1 in another pulsating contest to wrap up first place in Group B, while Chinese Taipei locked in their quarterfinal spot by winning 3-1 against India, following Japan into the knockouts from Group C.
Uzbekistan‘s 4-0 win over Bangladesh was enough to see them make it through to the final eight. While the Philippines had to wait until the final game of the group stage to learn their fate. Their 2-0 win over Iran — and Vietnam’s 4-0 loss to Japan — granted the Filipinas passage to the next stage.
ESPN writers Joey Lynch, Gabriel Tan and Marissa Lordanic are breaking down the talking points from the last round of group-stage matches and briefly looking ahead to the quarterfinals.
Q1. Matchday 3 is always an exciting one. Some players pushed their teams into the knockouts, others helped keep undefeated streaks alive. Which player did you love watching from this round of matches?
Tan: Once again, while we still have the opportunity, I’m going to champion a player from one of the lesser lights and show appreciation for Uzbekistan’s Nilufar Kudratova. What a great story it is that, in their first appearance in 23 years, the Uzbeks are through to the knockout round. It ultimately boiled down to their final Group B win over Bangladesh and, while there were contributors all across the board in that 4-0 win, Kudratova was pivotal as she created Diyorakhon Khabibullaeva‘s 10th-minute opener with a visionary through-pass before rounding things off with a well-taken effort late on. While Khabibullaeva had been the obvious player to look out for when it came to Uzbekistan before the tournament began, Kudratova has emerged as one who could be equally pivotal to this delightful underdog story.
Lynch: It’s not often that you get to see a substitute immediately change the course of a game, but that’s exactly what Kang Chae-rim did for South Korea when she was thrown on at half-time of her nation’s draw with the Matildas — one that ensured they’d upset the applecart and top Group A. Inducing the handball from Courtney Nevin that would allow Kim Shin-ji to level things up from the spot, the Montreal Roses attacker subsequently used the added-time and space the now-gunshy Matildas defender was affording her on the right to tee-up the go-ahead goal just a few minutes later. She then went on to play a key role in Korea’s threat in transition — one that kept the Matildas from fully pinning their ears back in search of the goals they’d need to top the group — and fully validated the half-time tinkering of coach Shin Sang-woo.
Lordanic: I’m gonna follow Gabe’s lead and talk about a player we won’t be seeing in the knockouts, but whose goal on Matchday 3 was simply gorgeous. Manisha Kalyan‘s free kick to put India on the board was incredible. She went bar down, to borrow an ice hockey phrase, and hit it in such a way that it clipped the crossbar, bounced over the line, and was immediately spat back out. While not much went right for India this tournament and, following on from the devastation of how 2022 panned out, this goal was a small reward.
Q2. Australia-South Korea and China-North Korea were two of the best games of the entire group stage thanks to how even they were. Will those teams be better for having faced a proper test early in the tournament? Will Japan’s path of minimal resistance have any adverse effects on their campaign?
Lynch: South Korea and China will definitely be better for the tests, both for having the chance to test their technical abilities and tactical execution against a strong opponent, but also because of the mental boost that comes from being confronted with such a challenge and emerging victorious. In theory, this should also be the case for Australia and North Korea, but, given that both demonstrated varying degrees of headloss during their defeats — Australia’s approach in possession and reactions devolving as they stared down the adversity of falling to second in the group, and whatever the heck that protest to China’s second goal was by the North Koreans. Both the Matildas and the Eastern Azaleas will need to demonstrate a level of — to quote Iain Dowie — “bouncebackability” next up.
As for Japan, they likely came into this tournament knowing that their first real test wouldn’t arrive until its later stages, and you’d have to think that Nils Nielsen and his staff have incorporated that into their plans accordingly.
– Iran team leaves Australia with two more granted asylum
– Manisha Kalyan stands alone as India crumble to Women’s Asian Cup exit
– North Korean test lies ahead for Matildas, China answer their doubters
Tan: Definitely to the first point. Being battle-hardened is often one of the attributes of a team which eventually goes all the way at a tournament, although there will always be the opposite argument around how such trying tests might add weariness to the legs as the campaign wears on. But, put simply, teams should only be better for such experiences, especially mentally. As for the second question, I don’t think Japan will be overly fussed that they have not been made to work extremely hard for their three victories so far — which always looked the case from the moment the groups were drawn. If anything, they will be backing themselves to rise to the occasion when necessary. Also, the killer instinct they showed to put four past Vietnam, while fielding some of their big names, even in a game they didn’t need to win, suggests that they mean business. It is, however, worth remembering that Japan have technically not lost a Women’s Asian Cup game since the 2010 semifinals (winning titles unbeaten in 2014 and 2018 and then being eliminated only on penalties in 2022). Nadeshiko will be aware there are ways that they can still be ousted even if they’re chugging along nicely.
Lordanic: I agree with Joey’s point about the teams who came up against a stern test and still got the result they desired meaning South Korea and China are in the box seat and have been afforded the rewards of finishing first in terms of their next opponents. I do think the Matildas and North Korea will also be better for the challenge. However, I think their desire to make good in this quarterfinal could see a tense clash. There’s a possibility that they fight so hard in this quarterfinal, it becomes their proverbial final, and whoever wins can’t sustain the fight heading into the semis. As for Japan, I loved Gabe’s fun history stat, and it further cements my belief that they will win the tournament no matter who is in front of them.
Q3. It’s a two-parter to end this edition of talking points. Which quarterfinal are you most looking forward to and which four teams are making it to the semifinals and locking in Women’s World Cup qualification?
Lynch: Based on what we’ve seen from the group stages, Australia vs. North Korea presents as the most likely contest to produce a back-and-forth affair, with both sides possessing clear talent but also foibles that can be exploited.
Further, given that Uzbekistan, the Philippines, and Chinese Taipei know that they’ll have a second chance to secure World Cup qualification on the Gold Coast next week, even if they lose in the quarterfinals, one wonders how much game- and load-management we’ll see in their fixtures against South Korea, Japan, and China. As for the semifinalists? Until we actually see a boilover in this tournament I don’t see any reason to start expecting one, so South Korea, Australia, China, and Japan to advance.
Tan: From a footballing perspective, Australia vs. North Korea looks like it could be the most-tantalising affair. The Matildas will still be favourites but it seems like they can be gotten at, and the North Koreans will never pass up an opportunity to get under the skin of their opponents. From a non-footballing perspective, China vs. Chinese Taipei should have plenty of spice. While I’m the biggest advocate of the underdogs, I don’t see any major upsets happening although I hope to be proven wrong. Apologies to my Australian colleagues and our audience Down Under but, if I had to pick one upset, it would probably be North Korea. Still, I’m going to play it safe and tip Australia, China, South Korea and Japan for the semifinals.
Lordanic: Joey’s point about headloss in the previous question is exactly why I am also picking Australia’s clash with North Korea as the pick of the quarterfinals. It will likely be really fun for the neutral if these teams score some goals and get a bit chirpy with each other. It will be agony for actual supporters of both sides. I am also predicting Australia vs. China and South Korea vs. Japan as our semifinals.
