"Ended an 11-Year Winless Drought in Four Minutes" South Korea Women's Football Beats China for Asian Games Bronze [Nagoya AG]

[Financial News] The gates of the Great Wall, which had remained firmly shut for 11 years, were shattered just four minutes after kickoff. South Korea's women's national football team, led by head coach Shin Sang-woo, defeated formidable China with a determined defensive performance and reached the Asian Games podium for the first time in eight years.
South Korea's women's national football team held on to Noh Jin-young's fourth-minute winning header to defeat China 1-0 in the bronze-medal match of the 2026 Asian Games women's football tournament at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on the 2nd.
With the victory, South Korea claimed its fourth Asian Games women's football bronze medal overall and its first in eight years, following the Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014, and Jakarta-Palembang 2018 Games. The win also erased the disappointment of losing 0-2 to Japan in the semifinals on the 29th of last month, which ended the team's hopes of reaching its first-ever final.
Above all, the biggest achievement was completely breaking the stubborn "China jinx." Before this match, South Korea had been overwhelmingly inferior to China, with only four wins in 43 meetings. In particular, after a 1-0 victory in the East Asian Cup in August 2015, South Korea had failed to win in 11 consecutive matches, recording five draws and six losses. But in this must-win single match with an Asian Games medal at stake, South Korea secured a precious victory over China after 11 years.
South Korea deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Yuri Choe as the lone striker and Son Hwa-yeon of Gangjin Swans Women's Football Club, Ji So-yun of Suwon FC Women, and Choo Hyo-joo of Ottawa Rapid FC in the second line.
The match was decided early. Head coach Shin Sang-woo had stressed at the previous day's press conference that "the opening goal is the most important because we have had little time to recover," and his instructions were put into practice on the field. In the fourth minute, following a free kick, Yuri Choe sent the ball floating with an exquisite back header. Noh Jin-young charged toward the goal and headed it in, finding the back of China's net.
After taking an early lead, South Korea never surrendered control. China managed only three shots throughout the first half, and South Korea produced a perfectly balanced defensive display by allowing not a single shot on target.
The second half was a sustained display of determination. With starting goalkeeper Kim Min-jung of Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels WFC sidelined by injury, substitute Kim Kyeong-hee of Suwon FC Women made a spectacular save in the fifth minute of the second half, instinctively parrying China's Shao Ziqin's dangerous header to avert the threat. Central defender Ko Yoo-jin of Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels WFC continued to lead the defensive line despite having her hand stepped on by an opposing player. China launched wave after wave of attacks after the 30th minute, but the back four of Jang Sel-gi, Noh Jin-young, Ko Yoo-jin, and Kim Hye-ri never wavered, completing a thrilling 1-0 victory.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter