AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup: Japan edge DPR Korea to lift title
Pathum Thani: Japan upstaged a dominant DPR Korea 1-0 to emerge champions of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Thailand 2026; at the Thammasat Stadium on Saturday. Momoka Sano struck the winner as Akira Ijiri’s side clinched a record-extending seventh title, while defending champions DPR Korea were left to wonder how they lost a match they had largely controlled.
A slow-to start DPR Korea found their rhythm in the 12th minute when So Ryu Gyong’s strike from the edge of the area, pushed out by a diving Uruha Iwasaki, fell to Kang Ryu Mi, whose cut-back to Choe Rim Jong ended with the forward stabbing just wide of the right post from close range.
Iwasaki made an easier save from Choe’s tentative shot from the right eight minutes later and collected a similar effort in the 29th minute from So as DPR Korea gradually dominated possession.
The keeper went low to save a point-blank strike from skipper Pak Ok I in the 33rd minute as the Japan defence, scrambling to deal with their opponents’ continuous pressure, did just enough to go into the break still on level terms.
DPR Korea immediately went on the offensive in the second half, with Choe’s floating shot from the right flying across the face of goal and Iwasaki making a timely interception to prevent Kang from reaching the ball.
Japan turned the match on its head, however, when Sano came from behind the DPR Korea defence in the 56th minute to head home Noa Fukushima’s cross off a free-kick past a despairing DPR Korea custodian Pak Ju Gyong.
Buoyed by the goal, Japan pushed forward only to be denied time and time again by their opponents’ steady backline. DPR Korea, on their part, went in search of the equaliser, with Kang’s attempt from the right in the 71st minute punched away by Iwasaki.
Substitute Choe Yon A’s shot from distance five minutes later off Iwasaki’s poor goal-kick almost caught the Japan custodian off her line, but the forward’s dipping shot hit the woodwork and went out of play.
The action then swung to the other end, with Konoha Nakamura’s shot blocked in a goalmouth scramble in the 84th minute and Hibari Hara picking up the loose ball only to balloon her shot over.
DPR Korea threw everything at their opponents’ goal in the dying minutes but Japan held firm to wrest the trophy away from the titleholders.
