'Asian women's soccer strongest' Japan won Taiwan and proved the power of the favorite.
The Japanese women's soccer A team, led by head coach Nils Nilsen, won the first match of the 2025 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship (East Asian Cup) against Taiwan 4-0 at Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 9th.
After the first round, Japan will face South Korea on the 13th and China on the 16th. Japan, the defending champion, is the strongest Asian women's soccer player, ranking seventh in the FIFA women's soccer rankings. Starting in 2008, he became the champion until the previous 2022 tournament, along with 2010 and 2019. In this match against Taiwan, he also showed the best reason.
Japan's starting players were Natsumi Asano, Hana Takahashi, Yuendo, Shiori Miyake, Miu Kitamura, Yui Narimiya, Yuzuki Yamamoto, Yume Takikawa, Miyyu Yakata, Haruna Aikawa and Leon Ishikawa. Japan, which has many European players missing in this tournament, also showed the ease of using new faces. Among the starting members of Japan, Kitamura Takikawa and Aikawa made their A-match debut.
Taiwan was started by Wang Yuching, Chen Ying-hui, Su Shin-yun, Cheng Yun-ya, Teng Feilin, Xu Yiyun, Saki Matsunaga, Chen Jinwen, Su Yushuan, Chen Yuchin and Huang Kesin.
From the beginning of the first half, Japan pushed Taiwan and showed off its powerful attack. Yamamoto's shot from the gate in the 6th minute of the first half rose above the net. In the 12th minute of the first half, Takahashi caught a cross from the side in the box and finished it with a shot, but the ball went off the post.
Japan, which continued to knock on the goal, scored the first goal. In the 22nd minute of the first half, he shook Taiwan's defense with a calm pass from the center, and one roving pass broke Taiwan's defense. Yakata, who rushed to the gate, shook Taiwan's net by pushing the cross to the center.
Japan immediately widened the gap. In the 25th minute of the first half, Takikawa finished it and scored an additional goal when Narumiya's cross from deep on the right side of the penalty box hit the goalkeeper.
Japan rarely allowed a threatening scene to Taiwan due to systematic pressure. In the strong check and pressure sequence from the front line, it was difficult for Taiwan to easily send the ball forward except for the development through long balls.
Despite Japan's continued offensive, no additional points were scored, and the first half ended with Japan's 2-0 lead.
Japan also led the game in the second half. In the third minute of the second half, Takahashi scored his third goal by cutting through Taiwan's goal.
Japan did not stop the attack and even made the fourth score even though it clearly widened the gap. In the 25th minute of the second half, Riko Yoshida's cross hit Chen Ying-hui's leg and headed straight into the Taiwanese goal.
Japan attempted an aggressive operation near the Taiwanese box until the end of the second half. In the 41st minute of the second half, Yoshida finished the cross to the center of the box with a header, but hit the post.
In the end, the game ended with a 4-0 victory for Japan.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
