China News Service, Shizuoka, Japan, September 29 (Reporter Guoxuan) In the women's football semifinals of the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games held in Shizuoka, Japan on the 29th, the Chinese women's football team lost 0:2 to the North Korean team and missed the final.
Judging from the history of the matches between the two teams in recent years, the North Korean team has the upper hand. But in the Women's Asian Cup group match in March this year, the Chinese team defeated the North Korean team 2:1. In the quarter-finals of the women's football team at this Asian Games, the Chinese team narrowly defeated the Vietnamese team 1:0 in overtime, and the North Korean team defeated the Chinese Taipei team 5:1. There is a certain gap between the two sides in terms of physical fitness and on-the-spot condition.
In this game, Chinese team players Zhang Linyan and Li Qingtong were absent due to injuries, while Wang Yanwen was suspended due to accumulation of yellow cards. After the game started, North Korean player Ming Youcheng created a good shooting opportunity and almost broke the deadlock. After that, neither team made any achievements in the rain, but the North Korean team had the advantage in ball possession, while the Chinese team only scored its first goal near the end of the half.
After changing sides, the Chinese team took the lead in getting a free kick on the left. Zhang Chengxue advanced from the back row, but his header was saved by North Korean goalkeeper Yu Xianjin, and the subsequent follow-up shot also missed the goal. In the 54th minute, Chinese team player Yao Wei accidentally scored an own goal during the confrontation, causing the Chinese team to fall behind 0:1. After that, the Chinese team coach Milicic strengthened the offense through substitutions, but the North Korean team, which was defensively strong, maintained its lead. In the 79th minute, Ming Yousheng pushed the ball into the penalty area and scored, and the North Korean team finally won 2:0.
In the whole game, only 1 of the Chinese team's 5 shots was on target, while 5 of the North Korean team's 10 shots were on target.
Milicic said after the game that the North Korean team was strong and the Chinese team knew before the game that it would be a tough battle and the players had tried their best. "Our defense did a good job, but it was regrettable to give up an own goal. In the final analysis, the depth of the team's lineup is not enough to support us to win the game. Facing the North Korean team, you have to perform almost perfectly to compete with it."
There will be another semi-final that night, against the Japanese team and the South Korean team. The Chinese women's football team will participate in the bronze medal match on October 2. In this regard, Milicic said: "We can be disappointed tonight, but we must cheer up tomorrow and put this defeat behind us."
