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Members of the South Korea women's national football team look dejected after losing 0-2 to Japan in the semifinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games women's football tournament at Shizuoka Stadium ECOPA in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on the 29th. / Yonhap

South Korea women's football has once again postponed its historic first trip to the Asian Games final by four years.

Led by head coach Shin Sang-woo, the South Korea women's national football team fell 0-2 to host nation Japan in the semifinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games women's football tournament at Shizuoka Stadium ECOPA in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on the 29th, failing to advance to the final.

Having competed since the 1990 Beijing Games, when women's football was first introduced to the Asian Games, South Korea has claimed only three bronze medals (in 2010, 2014, and 2018). After bowing out in the quarterfinals at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, the team aimed for its first final appearance at this tournament, but the bid ended in vain.

South Korea, which has managed only four draws and seven losses in 11 matches against Japan since a 2-1 victory at the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) East Asian Cup in August 2015, will face China in the bronze medal match at the same venue at 3:00 p.m. on the 2nd of next month. Japan will battle for gold on the 2nd of next month against North Korea, which defeated China 2-0.

After a scoreless first half, South Korea saw Jeong Min-young's (26, Ottawa Rapid) surprise right-footed, mid-range effort stopped by the goalkeeper in the 7th minute of the second half, only to concede the opening header and eventual match-winner to Japan's Shiina Kamiya about two minutes later. South Korea yielded another goal in the 18th minute of the second half off a mid-range strike by Kamiya. Seeking a comeback, South Korea brought off Yoon Soo-jeong (24) and Kim Hye-ri (36, both Suwon FC Women) for Jeong Da-bin (21, Stabaek) and Han Da-in (24, Suwon FC), but ultimately failed to breach Japan's defense.

Ji So-yun (35, Suwon FC Women), a legend of South Korean women's football making her sixth Asian Games appearance since the 2006 Doha Games, expressed determination after the match, saying, "I truly believed this was our chance to reach the final. We should not have lost to this Japanese squad, which makes this even more disappointing." She added, "China is by no means an easy opponent either, but since this is the end, I want to finish with a smile. I hope we can end on a high note."

                                                                                                         Cho Seong-joon