AFC Women's Asian Cup
Frustrated for long periods by resolute Chinese Taipei defending, second half goals from Momoko Tanikawa and Kiko Seike took them over the line as they kicked off their campaign for a third title with three points.
Chinese Taipei opted for a five-strong defence with Su Yu-Hsuan - their leading scorer in the Qualifiers - on the bench, while Tanikawa, Mina Tanaka and Maika Hamano formed a three-pronged attack for Japan.
Hamano proved a handful for Chinese Taipei from the start with the Tottenham Hotspur forward pushing down the left before cutting the ball back for Tanikawa, whose shot was cleared away by Su Sin-Yun.
Hamano proved a handful for Chinese Taipei from the start with the Tottenham Hotspur forward pushing down the left before cutting the ball back for Tanikawa, whose shot was cleared away by Su Sin-Yun.
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Wang Yu-Ting was let off the hook in the 10th minute, initially saving Aoba Fujino's curling effort from outside the box before seeing Tanikawa finding space inside the box with the midfielder’s low shot beating the Chinese Taipei custodian but not the left post.
Nils Nielsen’s Japan wasted another chance with Hamano angling her header wide in the 32nd minute off Hikaru Kitagawa’s cross.
Nils Nielsen’s Japan wasted another chance with Hamano angling her header wide in the 32nd minute off Hikaru Kitagawa’s cross.
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Japan almost found a way through in the 44th minute when Tanaka’s cross was deflected into the path of goal by Hsu Yi-Yun but an alert Wang scrambled the ball off the line with Prasobchoke Chokemor’s side then heaving a sigh of relief when Tanikawa placed her header off Hamano’s cross into the box wide.
Group C: Japan v Chinese Taipei
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Despite maintaining a deep defensive block in the second half, Chinese Taipei continued to be vulnerable, with Tanaka pulling her headed attempt just wide in the 51st minute before the FC Rosengard midfielder was denied from close range by Wang.
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Japan’s persistence finally saw them opening the scoring in the 61st minute when Hana Takahashi sent a looping cross into the box for Tanikawa, who chested the ball, turned past her marker and tucked the ball into the back of the net.
Boosted by the goal, Japan pressed forward in search of more and their efforts came to fruition in the second minute of added time with Seike powering home a header from Remina Chiba’s cross to seal the win.
Japan will expect more goals when they play India on Saturday, with Chinese Taipei to meet Vietnam.
Japan will expect more goals when they play India on Saturday, with Chinese Taipei to meet Vietnam.
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