Japan win AFC Asian Cup despite Matildas fight
Japan have reaffirmed their dominance in Asian women’s football, edging Australia 1–0 in a dramatic AFC Women’s Asian Cup final in Sydney, with pre-tournament favourites delivering on market expectations in front of a record crowd.
Pre-match betting markets had Japan installed as slight favourites for the decider, generally priced around 1.90 to 2.10 to win in 90 minutes, while Australia hovered between 3.50 and 4.00, reflecting the tight nature of the contest despite Japan’s superior tournament form.
Heading into the tournament, Japan were widely considered the team to beat, opening at approximately 2.50, with Australia second with betting sites at around the 4.50 mark.
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That billing proved accurate as Japan completed an unbeaten campaign, sealing a third Women’s Asian Cup title following previous triumphs in 2014 and 2018 — both also 1–0 wins over the Matildas.
Japan Coach Nils Nielson, who has enamoured himself to fans with some fantastic analogies over the last few weeks, said it was important to enjoy the victory because they don’t come around too often.
“I just want to enjoy it today because it’s only the third time that Japan actually managed to win this tournament,” Japan coach Nils Nielsen said. “(We) really deserve it, I mean we won six games — it’s OK we take the trophy.
“The girls fought with everything they had, so did Matildas, and they made themselves proud as well.”
The final itself followed a familiar script. Maika Hamano struck the decisive blow in the 17th minute, unleashing a long-range effort that proved the difference at Stadium Australia in front of 74,357 fans — a tournament record.
Despite falling behind, the Matildas produced a gutsy and dominant display across the latter stages. Australia controlled territory, created multiple chances and piled on sustained pressure, particularly in the final 20 minutes, but were unable to convert.
Caitlin Foord missed two key opportunities in the first half, while Alanna Kennedy came closest late, narrowly failing to equalise in the 88th minute. Japan’s defensive structure ultimately held firm, conceding just once across the entire tournament while scoring 29 goals.
The result caps a landmark tournament that drew more than 350,000 fans, underlining the rapid growth of the women’s football game in Asia and setting a new benchmark for future editions.
