China beats North Korea to take top spot in Group B at Women’s Asian Cup

China’s Wang Shuang, left, reacts after scoring her team’s second goal [AP Photo]

China 2, N.Korea 1

Defending champion China edged North Korea 2-1 in a physical, high-energy game yesterday to take top spot in Group B in the Women’s Asian Cup.

The result sent North Korea into a quarterfinal against tournament host Australia in Perth on Friday.

China and North Korea were already assured of quarterfinal spots with two wins apiece ahead of their showdown at Western Sydney Stadium. Uzbekistan took third place in the group with a 4-0 win over Bangladesh in Perth, also securing a spot in the knockout stage.

Playing in its first Women’s Asian Cup tournament since losing the 2010 final to Australia, North Korea only needed a draw against China to top the group. And they took the lead when Kim Kyong Yong finished off a counter-attacking goal in the 32nd minute, the first shot on goal in the game.

The lead was short-lived, though, with China responding two minutes later to equalize with Chen Qiaozhu’s stunning strike through traffic from the edge of the area in the 34th.

China went ahead in a tense finish to the first half, when Wang Shuang’s goal was awarded after a VAR review deep in stoppage time.

The decision to overturn the assistant referee’s offside call upset the North Korean players and led to coach Ri Song Ho being yellow carded by referee Thi Ly Le as his team protested on the sideline. The North Korean players didn’t return to the pitch before halftime was called.

Both teams had chances in the second half, with North Korea goalkeeper Yu Son Gum making a full-length diving save to Wang’s powerful left-foot shot in the 78th, and then 19-year-old Choe Il Son appearing to equalize two minutes later before being ruled offside after a VAR review.

China, the nine-time Women’s Asian Cup champion, is being guided by ex-Australia women’s coach Ante Milicic.

State of play

The top two teams in each of the three groups advance to the quarterfinals along with the two best third-place teams.

In Group A, South Korea edged Australia for top spot on goal difference after the 3-3 draw in Sydney on Sunday night. The South Koreans will play the third-place team from either Group B or Group C in the quarterfinals. Philippines placed third and has to sweat on other results.

In Group C, two-time champion Japan leads with six points ahead of its last group match against Vietnam, which is tied with Taiwan for second spot on three points. Taiwan finishes the group. MDT/AP