Taeguk Ladies end EAFF E-1 with big 4-0 win over Chinese Taipei

Football

Published: 27 Jul. 2022, 14:41

Taeguk Ladies end EAFF E-1 with big 4-0 win over Chinese Taipei

Lee Min-a, center, dribbles past the Chinese Taipei defense during an EAFF E-1 Football Championship match between Korea and Chinese Taipei on Tuesday at Kashima Soccer Stadium in Kashima, Japan. [KFA/YONHAP]

The Taeguk Ladies beat Chinese Taipei 4-0 in the their final game of the EAFF E-1 Football Championship on Tuesday at Kashima Soccer Stadium in Kashima, Japan, finishing the regional tournament in third place.

Before facing Chinese Taipei, Korea had suffered a 2-1 loss to Japan and took a 1-1 draw against China, meaning the Taeguk Ladies had no way of winning the tournament regardless of the result of the final game. In the end, the Korean squad put on an impressive show to leave the tournament with their heads held high, even if they were unable to achieve their goal of winning the EAFF E-1 championship for the first time since 2005.

Notably missing from Tuesday's starting lineup was Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Cho So-hyun, who missed out on the match due to concerns over her condition.

But Cho's absence had little impact on the game, with world No. 18 Korea dominating No. 40 Chinese Taipei from the start, with the majority of the game played deep in Chinese Taipei's half.

Korea faced a potential issue early in the game, when Lim Seon-joo was substituted out in the 14th minute following a crash with Chinese Taipei goalkeeper Cheng Ssu-yu while trying to head the ball in front of the goal. Kim Yoon-ji took Lim's spot on the left wing and the early loss did not seem to seriously impact the defense.

Instead, Korea rallied quickly to stun Chinese Taipei with three goals scored within five minutes.

Korea's first goal came in the 35th minute and was an example of the Taeguk Ladies' teamwork at its best. Just outside the box, former Chelsea midfielder Ji So-yun passed the ball to Jang Sel-gi who dribbled past the Chinese Taipei defense and found Lee Min-a in front of the net. Jang sent the ball over from the left and Lee appeared to volley it past the goalkeeper.

The goal was retrospectively recorded as an own goal to Chinese Taipei's Chang Chi-lan, with officials deciding after the game that it was actually Chang, not Lee, that connected with the ball as the two slid into the box.

That teamwork must have given Korea the confidence to hammer on the Chinese Taipei goal more, because just three minutes later, Choe Yu-ri's pass from the right met Kang Chae-rim's foot in front of the goal and bounced past the goalkeeper's legs, providing Korea's second goal in less than three minutes.

Just two minutes later, Ji sent over a precise pass after spotting Lee running towards the box. Lee showed off her agile moves as she dribbled the ball past the Chinese Taipei defense and slotted the ball into the net past Cheng.

With Korea having scored in the 35th, 38th and 40th minute, the whistle blew to end the first half with the score at 3-0.

Just one minute into the second half, Ji was carried off on a stretchers after getting hit in the shin. Jang Chang took her spot.

The second half was a lot quieter than the first, despite Korea constantly attacking the Chinese Taipei goal.

After a silent second half, the last moment of excitement didn't come until four minutes into injury time, when Ko Min-jung found her chance, heading in a cross sent over from the right by Kang. With neither team able to score any more, the match ended at 4-0, Korea winning their first match at the 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship and marking their 14th consecutive win over Chinese Taipei since 2000.

Ji So-yun looks controls the ball during an EAFF E-1 Football Championship match between Korea and Chinese Taipei on Tuesday at Kashima Soccer Stadium in Kashima, Japan. [KFA/YONHAP]

Finishing in third place at the EAFF E-1 Football Championship comes as a big disappointment for the Taeguk Ladies, having entered the regional championship as the second-highest ranked team, five spots below Japan's No. 13. The loss also came despite Korea finishing second at the 2022 AFC Asian Cup, and as a difficult step in the Taeguk Ladies preparation for the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Korea has won the championship title only once in 2005, when the inaugural event was played at home.

This year, the hosts and reigning champion Japan won the regional championship title with two wins and a draw, while China finished runner-up with one win and two draws.

Japan has the most EAFF E-1 Football Championship titles, having also won in 2008, 2010, 2019.

As of press time, the Korean men's squad are scheduled to face old rivals Japan in a winner-takes-all EAFF E-1 final game at 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday evening.

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