FUKUROI, Japan – Japan saw off North Korea 5-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to claim their third straight women’s football title at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Friday, winning the trophy for a record fourth time.
Yuzuho Shiokoshi scored her spot kick to seal a hard-fought win for Nadeshiko Japan at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, where an 86th-minute equalizer from Hanon Nishio took the game to extra time.
Mami Ueno’s low strike from outside the box gave the hosts a 32nd-minute lead before North Korea leveled two minutes into the second half when Jong Kum’s cross from the left byline looped into the net.
North Korea went ahead as Jon Ryong Jong’s strike from inside the area found the top left corner in the 69th minute, but forward Nishio steered the ball into the far bottom left corner to cap Japan’s flowing move.
Keeper Shu Oba kept out North Korea’s third taker Jong Kum in the shootout as Japan won the title with a squad mostly comprised of domestic WE League players. Japan’s Chiina Kamiya finished as the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals.