Particle.news
Download on the App Store
7 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

South Korea Women Clinch First EAFF Crown in 20 Years as Men’s Team Seeks World Cup Answers

Ji So-yun’s penalty followed by Jang Selgi’s late goal secured the women’s first EAFF title in 20 years via head-to-head goal tiebreaker following a Japan-China goalless draw

Image
South Korean players and coaches celebrate with the trophy after winning the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Women's Football Championship at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 16, 2025. (Yonhap)
This image captured from the official X page of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) shows the final score of the match between Japan and China at the EAFF E-1 Women's Football Championship at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on July 16, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Jeong Da-bin of South Korea (L) attempts a pass past Su Sin-Yun of Chinese Taipei during the teams' final match of the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Women's Football Championship at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 16, 2025. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • South Korea, Japan and China all finished with five points, but head-to-head goals placed South Korea first with three compared to China’s two and Japan’s one.
  • Ji So-yun opened scoring with a 70th-minute penalty—her 74th international goal—to break the deadlock in the final match against Chinese Taipei.
  • Jang Selgi added a decisive 85th-minute strike, earned tournament MVP honors and delivered the insurance goal that sealed the championship.
  • Coach Shin Sang-woo highlighted veteran leadership and team determination after admitting he had given his side only a 1 percent chance to win the title.
  • On the men’s side, South Korea’s 1-0 loss to Japan exposed selection gaps in the squad without Europe-based players and forced Coach Hong Myung-bo to rethink tactics ahead of next year’s World Cup.