SYDNEY (Agencies): Maika Hamano scored the only goal as a formidable Japan downed Australia to clinch a third Women's Asian Cup title on Saturday in front of a record-breaking 74,357 fans in Sydney.
The Tottenham star hit a stunning long-range strike in the 17th minute at Stadium Australia to break Australian hearts and add to their continental crowns from 2014 and 2018.
For the record, in a repeat of their past two finals, Japan has beaten Australia 1-0 to win their third Women’s Asian Cup title in front of a record crowd in Sydney. Japan had beaten Australia by the same scoreline in all their past finals.
The two historic Asian Cup rivals exchanged chances as the first half wound down, with a scything cross-field pass into the box by Hinata Miyazawa being intercepted by a launching Kyra Cooney-Cross header, before yet another Kerr sprint-and-cross found Foord near the penalty spot, only for the attacker to pirouette and shoot wide of the post after a slip by Toko Koga.
Both sides were relatively even going into half-time, with Australia’s speed and physicality forcing errors and hesitations from a usually hyper-controlled Japan side. The Matildas came out swinging in the second half, with Fowler shimmying past two defenders before curling a delicious cross into the box, but neither Foord nor Kerr could connect before Japan scrambled it clear.
Australia turned up the pressure in the final ten minutes, maintaining possession in and around Japan’s penalty area, but poor touches and misplaced passes meant they could never quite crack open their opponents. Double substitutions by both sides saw Japan shore up their defence, while Montemurro opted to replenish his midfield with Emily van Egmond and Clare Wheeler replacing Fowler and Cooney-Cross.
Van Egmond had a dazzling chance to equalise in the final five minutes after a driving run from Carpenter into the box saw the ball cut back to the veteran, but both her shots were blocked by desperate, lunging Japan defenders.
An 88th-minute cross by Carpenter landed square on the head of Kennedy, thrown up front for the final gasping moments, but her header was saved by a diving Yamashita, before a final Matildas corner in stoppage time, which saw even Arnold sprint up from her area to attack, was bravely cleared by an outstanding Japan defence.
