Eastern giants flex their muscles with huge wins

East Asian giants North Korea and Japan flexed their muscles with huge wins in their opening AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Thailand.

North Korea signalled their intent to defend their crown by overwhelming Jordan 8-0 in their Group B opener at the Pathum Thani Stadium while Japan underlined their title credentials with a 6-0 defeat of India in Group C.

Two-time champions North Korea, who took a five-goal lead in the first half, put on a masterclass of attacking football as six different players found the back of the net. 

Ri Su Jong gave North Korea a flying start, opening the scoring within the first minute when she waltzed between the Jordan defence and slipped the ball between keeper Sajida Issa’s legs.

The second arrived in the fourth minute when an unchecked Kang Ryu Mi, off Ri Ye Gyong’s beautifully-timed cross from the right, rose to nod home past a slow-to-react Issa.

The Jordan custodian did well to deny consecutive efforts by Choe Rim Jong and Choe Yon A but conceded for the third time in the 21st minute when she failed to get her fingertips to a thunderous strike by Kang from inside the area.

Choe Yon A got her name on the scoresheet in the 41st minute when a deflection by Issa landed at her feet, with the striker finding all the time in the world to poke the ball home. 

Pak Il Sim added to Jordan’s despair on the stroke of half time when she headed in from the far post after connecting to Choe Rim Jong’s perfectly-floated cross from the right.

With their attacking line-up pulling double duty, there was simply no opportunity for Jordan to venture into their opponents’ half as the West Asian side finished the first half without a single shot at goal. 

North Korea started the second half with the same intensity, with substitute Pak Ok-I chipping into the back of the net in the 48th minute after Issa failed to properly connect with the ball following a corner.

The East Asian side secured goal number seven a minute later through captain Ri Kuk Hyang, whose stinging shot from 25 yards out had Issa grasping at thin air.

Kang secured her hat-trick in the 71st minute when she ghosted in behind the Jordan defence to nudge in Choe Rim Jong’s shot from the right into the back of the net.

North Korea will aim to put on a similar performance against Uzbekistan on Sunday while Jordan need to be at their best against Korea.

Meanwhile, six-time champions but runners-up in 2024, Japan played delightful football from start to finish to subdue an India side making a comeback to the competition for the first time since 2006. 

After a cagey start, Japan went close in the seventh minute with Miki Kimura surging past Shubhangi Singh before unleashing a curling effort from inside the box which beat India custodian Monalisha Devi Moirangthem but crashed against the crossbar.

The breakthrough arrived five minutes later from a set-piece, with India conceding in unfortunate fashion as Thoibisana Chanu diverted Mitsuki Ota’s downward header into her own net.

Japan went close to doubling their lead in the 21st minute when Hibari Hara’s precise delivery picked out Anon Tsuda, but Moirangthem reacted quickly to smother the attempt.

An alert Moirangthem then denied Yura Honda’s long-range effort in the 35th minute, while Ota’s attempt drifted just wide of the left post.

India survived another scare in the 50th minute when Noa Fukushima crashed her curling free-kick against the left post, but Moirangthem could do little to prevent Japan from scoring their second four minutes later.

Haruko Suzuki started the move on the left before releasing the ball to Miki Kimura, who drilled her shot at the Indian custodian, whose fumble led to the ball settling in the net.

Another swift attacking move left India stretched in the 57th minute with Honda laying the ball neatly for Noa Fukushima to fire a low shot into the bottom right corner.

Japan showed wonderful movement again in the 75th minute with Momoka Honda teeing-up Natsumi Tago, who got the better of Cindy Colney before dinking the ball off the left post and into the back of the net.

Miyu Matsunaga etched her name on the scoresheet in the 81st minute with a glancing header at the near post off a corner before Honda sealed Japan’s dominance three minutes from time with a long-range effort.

Next up for Japan are Chinese Taipei on Sunday with India facing Australia.