Japan on Wednesday won the SheBelieves Cup, with Yuka Momiki and Toko Koga scoring in the 2-1 victory that ended the US’ bid for a sixth straight title in the round-robin tournament.
Japan avenged their quarter-final loss to the US at last year’s Paris Olympics, where the US went on to capture gold.
It was the first defeat for the US since Emma Hayes took over as coach in May last year.
Photo: AFP
The US had to win to lift the trophy, but Japan, who needed only a draw thanks to their better goal-difference, made a dream start by opening the scoring in the second minute.
Yui Hasegawa found Momiki on the corner of the box and, as Emily Sonnett collided with US goalkeeper Jane Campbell, the Japanese was left free to fire into an empty net.
Ally Sentnor pulled the US level in the 14th minute, getting on the end of Catarina Macario’s through-ball and firing past Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita.
Photo: AFP
Japan were back in front in the 49th minute after a goal from 19-year-old Koga.
Yazmeen Ryan had fouled Aoba Fujino to give Japan a free-kick and the smartly struck effort from Mina Tanaka forced a diving save from Campbell and second-half substitute Koga raced in from the left to slot home the rebound.
Hayes, who was without many of her key starters for the tournament, said there was no need to panic at her young side’s loss to the vastly more experienced Japan.
Photo: AFP
“The relationships they have in terms of the volume of games they’ve played together really shows,” she said of Japan. “They were a higher level to us throughout the whole evening.”
In the earlier match, Catalina Usme scored the winner as Colombia beat Australia 2-1 to claim third place.
Meanwhile, Stadium Australia in Sydney is to host the final of next year’s Women’s Asian Cup on March 21 along with a semi-final and two quarter-finals, organizers said yesterday.
Photo: AFP
The other semi and the quarter-finals are to be played at Perth Stadium, where hosts Australia are to start the 12-team tournament on March 1.
More than 60 percent of tickets for the event would be for matches at venues in Sydney, while the Gold Coast, the third of the three host cities, is only scheduled to host group-stage matches.
Governing body Football Australia is banking on big crowds for Australia’s matches following the huge attendances at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Australia’s Matildas reached the semi-finals of the global showpiece cohosted with New Zealand.
“Following the success of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Australia will once again come together to support and celebrate women’s sport as we host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026,” Australian Minister for Sport Anika Wells said in a statement.
Four nations have qualified directly — Australia as hosts, and defending champions China, South Korea and Japan as the top three finishers at the 2022 Asian Cup in India.
Qualifiers are to be held in June and July to determine the other eight nations.
The draw is to be confirmed by August.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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