03/09/26 07:03:00
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03/09 07:02 CDT China beats North Korea 2-1 to take top spot in Group B at
Women's Asian Cup
China beats North Korea 2-1 to take top spot in Group B at Women's Asian Cup
SYDNEY (AP) --- Defending champion China edged North Korea 2-1 in a physical,
high-energy game Monday to take top spot in Group B in the Women's Asian Cup.
The result sent North Korea into a quarterfinal against tournament host
Australia in Perth on Friday.
China and North Korea were already assured of quarterfinal spots with two wins
apiece ahead of their showdown at Western Sydney Stadium. Uzbekistan took third
place in the group with a 4-0 win over Bangladesh in Perth, also securing a
spot in the knockout stage.
Playing in its first Women's Asian Cup tournament since losing the 2010 final
to Australia, North Korea only needed a draw against China to top the group.
And they took the lead when Kim Kyong Yong finished off a counter-attacking
goal in the 32nd minute, the first shot on goal in the game.
The lead was short-lived, though, with China responding two minutes later to
equalize with Chen Qiaozhu's stunning strike through traffic from the edge of
the area in the 34th.
China went ahead in a tense finish to the first half, when Wang Shuang's goal
was awarded after a VAR review deep in stoppage time.
The decision to overturn the assistant referee's offside call upset the North
Korean players and led to coach Ri Song Ho being yellow carded by referee Thi
Ly Le as his team protested on the sideline. The North Korean players didn't
return to the pitch before halftime was called.
Both teams had chances in the second half, with North Korea goalkeeper Yu Son
Gum making a full-length diving save to Wang's powerful left-foot shot in the
78th, and then 19-year-old Choe Il Son appearing to equalize two minutes later
before being ruled offside after a VAR review.
China, the nine-time Women's Asian Cup champion, is being guided by
ex-Australia women's coach Ante Milicic.
State of play
The top two teams in each of the three groups advance to the quarterfinals
along with the two best third-place teams.
In Group A, South Korea edged Australia for top spot on goal difference after
the 3-3 draw in Sydney on Sunday night. The South Koreans will play the
third-place team from either Group B or Group C in the quarterfinals.
Philippines placed third and has to sweat on other results.
In Group C, two-time champion Japan leads with six points ahead of its last
group match against Vietnam, which is tied with Taiwan for second spot on three
points. Taiwan finishes the group stage against India.
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