"I am grateful to the players who kept fighting until the end while trailing against a strong team."
The South Korea women's national football team, led by head coach Shin Sang-woo, drew 1-1 with Japan in the second match of the 2025 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship held at 8 p.m. on the 13th at the Hwaseong Indoor Stadium in Gyeonggi Province. After a draw in the first match against China, Korea recorded another draw and placed third with 2 points.
Korea placed Kim Min-ji and Ji So-yeon as the two forwards, with Lee Geum-min and Jung Min-young forming the midfield. Moon Eun-joo and Kang Chae-rim took charge of the flanks, while the defense line consisted of Jang Seul-ki, Noh Jin-young, Ko Yu-jin, Kim Hye-ri, and goalkeeper Kim Min-jung.
From the beginning, Korea, which took control with forward pressure and short passes, created several chances, but the finishing was disappointing. In the 37th minute of the first half, they conceded the opening goal to Japan's Narumiya Yui and ended the first half with a score of 0-1.
Korea continued the momentum in the second half. In the 41st minute, Moon Eun-joo's cross was finished off by Jeong Da-bin, creating a dramatic equalizer. Afterward, Korea, prevented further goals thanks to Kim Min-jung's save, concluded the match without determining a winner against Japan.
After the match, head coach Shin Sang-woo noted, "I am grateful to the players who kept fighting until the end while trailing against a strong team. I especially appreciate the contributions of the substitutes who played their roles well."
Given that they suffered a 0-4 loss to Japan in last year's debut match, today's draw was of greater value. Coach Shin evaluated, "Back then, I formed the team mainly with veterans from the Women's Korean League, but today young players showed a lot of activity and stamina within the ongoing generational transition." He added, "The fusion of experienced players and young talent was the driving force that allowed us to keep up until the end."
However, Coach Shin warned, "There is still a long way to go." He remarked, "Even with a new blend, Japan is a world-class team that transcends Asia. We must closely analyze both our strengths and weaknesses. We are training so that we can give 100% at every moment, and if veterans and young players work together, we can approach the next match against Japan with confidence."
Despite the draw, Korea showed tenacity by sticking to the end of the match. The pattern of only rebounding in the second half after conceding a goal continued. Regarding this, Coach Shin stated, "I did not instruct them to operate stably from the first half. Rather, I emphasized a challenging attitude for the goal of winning." He analyzed, "However, a challenge for the women's national team is the flow of chasing after conceding. Strategic research and training are necessary to overcome this."
Now, only the last match against Taiwan remains. Despite concerns over fatigue, he announced the participation of elite players. Coach Shin declared, "The determination of the veterans is very strong. This is a tournament held in Korea and a match where victory is at stake. As long as the players are in good condition, we will unreservedly go with the elite squad."
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