Match 24 - JPN v KOR
6th Asia Cup Women’s Hockey Championship - Japan v Korea (1:1 after extra time - Penalty Strokes 7:6)
Match Review - <Official Match Report>
Day 8
Gold Medal Final Japan vs Korea
Final score: Japan 7 Korea 6
Japan tonight clinched the 6th Asia Cup Womens Hockey Championship gold medal by beating Korea 7-6 in a pulsating final that went all the way down to a penalty stroke competition after the two sides remained locked on one goal each at the end of the 15 minutes extra time period.
With the goals scored in normal time, neither side was able to score the winner during the extra period after virtually running themselves into the ground in the high humidity of Hong kong.
And then it was down to the penalty strokes. With both sides missing one stroke each in the first round, the competition went into sudden death. And it was Japan who held their nerve, with Korea’s Kim Mi Seon’s stroke being saved by Japanese goal keeper Ikuko Okamura, taking the Championship title by 7 goals to 6.
From the opening whistle it was obvious that the match would be a titanic struggle between two very well matched sides with the fast and powerful Koreans using the well tried and very successful blitzkreig tactics that until tonight saw all opposition in the tournament simply blown away. In contrast Japan used the same tactics that brought them victory over China in the semi finals by blocking the midfield and then breaking out to try and score. Korea countered the Japanese tactics by good use of the long ball down the side lines to try and get in behind the superb Japanese defence.
"After losing to Korea in our pool match, I knew we had to stop them in the midfield because of their pace" said very happy Japan coach Yoo Seung Jin after the epic final.
And certainly this was a very different Japan to the side beaten by 4-1 by Korea in the early pool compeition.
With the game being played at frenetic pace, it was Japan who opened the scoring in the 26th minute when Keiko Miura converted a penalty corner to give her side the early lead.
But Korea came out in the second half with all guns blazing and scored the equalizer in the 42nd minute when Kim Jung Eun converted a penalty corner with a high flick into the top right hand corner of the net that had goalkeeper Okamura well beaten.
Both sides came close to scoring that vital second goal but it was not to be, although Korea came closest in the final minute with a deflection by Cheon Seul Ki from a fierce Gim Sung Hee cross just missing.
Goal scorers:
Japan: Keiko Miura, Korea Kim Jong Eun.
Penalty Stroke competition:
Japan : Sakae Morimoto, Toshie Tsukui,Keiko Miura, Rika Komazawa.
Korea: Cheon Seul Ki,Kim mi Seon,Park Mi Hyun,Im Mi Ra
Sudden death:
Japan: Rika Komazawa, Toshie Tsukui
Korea: Cheon Seul Ki
Final score:
Japan 7, Korea 6