"I am so happy that I don't even know what to say," said Shin. "I want to thank the players who competed on the pitch and also those who cheered on their teammates from the bench.

“I said earlier in the tournament that you don't play football on paper and the ball is round. I want to thank my players for proving me right.

“Even though our generational shift is still not complete, I think this was an important victory that could steer us in the right direction.

"It helps us prepare for other events coming up, and winning this tournament should help our players with their confidence.”

Japan’s 0-0 draw with China PR meant they relinquished their hold on the title after winning the previous two editions but head coach Nils Nielsen remained upbeat.

The squad that Nielsen brought to the tournament comprised mainly of players from the domestic WE League - 13 made their international bow - with the Dane happy to have had the chance to test new ideas.

"We had a chance to score at the end of the match, so I think we had a chance to win, but it's unfortunate that we couldn't,” said Nielsen.

“However, even though many of the players on this team have little experience on the international stage, all of the players, including the goalkeeper, were able to get some experience playing, and I'm happy with the performance of all the players.

“We are still in the trial and error stage, but since they created chances like today, I think we have gained good material that will lead to the future."

Photos: EAFF