Taeguk Ladies suffer tough loss to Japan at EAFF E-1 Championship

Football

Published: 20 Jul. 2022, 15:00

Taeguk Ladies suffer tough loss to Japan at EAFF E-1 Championship

Ji So-yun, second from left, dribbles the ball during a 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship match against Japan at Kashima Soccer Stadium in Kashima, Japan on Tuesday. [KFA/YONHAP]

The Taeguk Ladies dropped their opening game of the 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship against Japan on Tuesday, losing 2-1 in a close fought game against the tournament hosts.

At Kashima football stadium in Kashima, Japan on Tuesday, Japan opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. The hosts were able to capitalize on a defending blunder from the Korean side as Shim Seo-yeon’s attempt to clear the ball bounced off teammate Jang Sel-gi and found Japanese forward Yui Narumiya, who set it up perfectly for Miyazawa Hinanta to slot in to an open goal.

Choe Yu-ri tried to level the score in the 35th minute, connecting with a pass from Ji So-yun and trying a shot from mid-range, only to have it plucked out the air by the Japanese goalkeeper.

Except for that defending blunder and goal, the first half was otherwise fairly equal, with Korea taking 51 percent of the ball while trying three shots and Japan taking four shots.

But coming back on the pitch in the second half, it was former Chelsea midfielder Ji to the rescue.

With her first serious attempt in the 52nd minute blocked by the Japanese defense, Ji’s real chance came seven minutes later, when she broke through to score the equalizer in the 59th minute.

It was the Taeguk Ladies’ teamwork at its best as Choo Hyo-joo dribbled the ball, passing it to Choe who connected with Ji. With three Japanese defenders marking the ace player and another three quickly closing in, Ji turned around in an incredibly busy box to send a low shot past all the defenders and goalie Momoko Tanaka.

Ji So-yun, right, celebrates after scoring Korea's sole goal during a 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship match against Japan at Kashima Soccer Stadium in Kashima, Japan on Tuesday. [KFA/YONHAP]

Sadly, Ji’s goal was not enough to earn No. 18 Korea one point against No. 13 Japan, as the hosts added one more just six minutes later.

Japan's second goal also came from a weak defense on the Korean side. Fuka Nagano dribbled past the Korean defense, passing the ball to Riko Ueki who found a perfect chance in the loose defense to shoot from just inside the box past Korean goalkeeper Kim Jung-mi.

Korea kept pushing for an equalizer for the remainder of the match, with Ji trying another chance to shoot in the 65th minute, making it past the two defenders but not past the goalkeeper.

With 10 minutes left on the clock, Cho So-hyun found a pass from Ji and tried a shot with her right foot, but met the fingertips of the goalkeeper, narrowly missing the net.

Korea kept trying until the very end with Jang You-been diving into the post while trying a header during injury time, but the Japanese goalkeeper safely caught the ball. Neither team was able to score anymore and the whistle blew with 2-1 on the scoreboard.

Korea was looking to beat Japan for the first time in seven years, ending a run of bad luck that has lasted since August, 2015 at the 2015 EAFF E-1 Football Championship.

Against Japan, Korea has four wins, 18 losses and 11 draws.

The 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship serves as an important tune-up tournament ahead of their respective World Cups. The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Nov. 21 in Qatar, while the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup starts July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

Korea will stay in Kashima to next face China on Saturday then Taiwan on July 26.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]