Japan 1-0 Australia (Hamano 17) in final in Sydney
Hosts fall short despite multiple attempts on goal
In a repeat of their past two finals, Japan has beaten Australia 1-0 to win their third Women’s Asian Cup title in front of a record crowd in Sydney on Saturday night.
A stunning first-half goal to winger Maika Hamano was enough for Asia’s only Women’s World Cup winners, viewed largely as the favourites coming into their seventh tournament final, to secure their first major trophy since 2018.
But having skated through the Asian Cup largely untested, the Matildas presented a far more difficult challenge from the opening whistle, inspired by a rousing national anthem and the roar of 74,397 fans at their backs.
