China and Korea Republic will battle it out for top honours at AFC Women’s Asian Cup after winning their respective semifinals at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune on Thursday. While China rode an extra-time equaliser and successful last penalty from captain Wang Shanshan to win 4-3 in a dramatic shoot-out after the regulation time ended 2-2, the South Koreans cruised past Philippines 2-0 in the other last-four clash.
Defending champions Japan, aiming for a hat-trick of titles, controlled proceedings from kick off. Riko Ueki began where she had left off in the quarters and came close to scoring a couple of times. She finally got her fourth goal of the tournament from a team effort in the 26th minute when Hiyata Miyazawa’s cross found an unmarked Ueki in the box whose glancing header was unstoppable.
