In the afternoon of March 4, the Japanese women's team will face Taiwan (China) in the opening match of Group C of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup finals. This match directly affects the competition for a quarter-final spot with the presence of the Vietnamese women's team in the same group.
Japan soon controlled the game and created continuous pressure on the opponent's goal. In the 10th minute, goalkeeper Wang Yu Ting had to operate continuously to block close-range shots.
After a save, the ball continued to find the post from another shot by Japanese players. In the 16th minute, Maika Hamano had a chance in the penalty area but the finish could not beat the Taiwanese (China) defense.
Most of the first half took place with the advantage leaning towards Japan. However, Taiwan (China) still organized counter-attacks when there was space.
Stepping into the second half, the scenario did not change when Japan continued to push up the squad. The attacks were mainly deployed on both wings to stretch the opponent's defense system. Despite great pressure, the Taiwanese (China) defense still maintained tight formation distance and organized effective cover.
In the 61st minute, the balance was broken. From a situation of moving without the ball in the penalty area, Momoko Tanikawa received a pass and finished accurately to open the score for Japan.
After gaining an advantage, Japan continued to control the tempo, while the opponent was forced to adjust tactics to find scoring opportunities.
In the 90+1 minute, from a good combination situation, Kiko Seike made a dangerous header to defeat goalkeeper Wang Yu Ting, thereby sealing a 2-0 victory for the Japanese women's team in the opening match of the 2026 Asian Cup.
