Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Hanoi: Vietnam have revealed their AFC Women’s Asian Cup lineup, naming a 23-strong squad as they embark on a training camp which will include matches against two of Germany’s strongest sides.
The 2017 SEA Games gold medallists will meet face European giants FC Bayern Munich on Monday, before facing TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, also of the Germany’s elite Frauen-Bundesliga, on Thursday in their final fixture before Jordan 2018.
Experienced head coach Mai Duc Chung pulled few surprises in his selection. Seventeen of the 23 players chosen were also present in last April’s successful qualifying campaign in Hanoi, with forward Nguyen Thi Muon, a goal scorer at the Asian finals four years ago, among the players to be recalled.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Australia will arrive at next month’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup as the continent’s highest ranked team, despite dropping two places to sixth in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings update.
The Matildas - who reached an all-time high of fourth in the most recent update in December - saw their year-long unbeaten run surprisingly ended by Portugal in the Algarve Cup third-place playoff earlier this month.
Reigning AFC Women’s Asian Cup champions Japan are now ranked third in Asia, after they fell two places to 11th, with DPR Korea – who failed to qualify for Jordan 2018 – just above them in 10th.
Korea Republic and China PR round out Asia’s top five in 16th and 17th respectively, while Thailand remained unchanged at 30th and Vietnam fell three spots to 33rd.
AFC Women’s Asian Cup hosts Jordan will begin their campaign from outside the global top 50 after falling to 51, while Philippines will be the lowest ranked team in the Finals. The Southeast Asians did not feature in any official international matches during the latest update period, leaving them 15th in Asia and 72 on the global list.
The FIFA World Rankings provided an accurate guide ahead of the 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, where Japan – then ranked third – defeated 11th-ranked Australia in the final in Ho Chi Minh City.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Defending champions Japan are facing a huge challenge to retain their AFC Women's Asian Cup in Jordan, according to INAC Kobe Leonessa star Sameshima.
With 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup tournament favourite Australia, Korea Republic and Vietnam all in a stacked Group B alongside holders Japan, it is sure to be a fight to the finish to secure the two available places in the knockout stage.
Having missed out on the side crowned continental champions four years ago but named in Asako Takakura's squad for Jordan, The-AFC.com spoke to 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup-winner Aya Sameshima about her expectations for the tournament
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The winners of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018 will lift a brand-new trophy at the final in Amman on April 20, unveiled on Tuesday at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President.
Made by world-renowned silversmiths Thomas Lyte of London, the new trophy embodies the spirit of the competition and is an impressive 52.5cm height being crafted from 5.5 kilogrammes of Hallmarked Sterling Silver bullion.
Thomas Lyte’s craftsmen have delivered some of the most iconic sporting trophies, and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup trophy took 140 hours to create, passing through the hands of eight different craftsmen.
AFC President Shaikh Salman said: “The new AFC Women’s Asian Cup trophy is a striking design that reflects the value of the competition as the Continent’s top women’s football tournament. I look forward to seeing the winning team lift the coveted piece of silverware at the final on April 20 in Amman, Jordan.
“The AFC has trusted Thomas Lyte for all of our trophy designs since 1997 and I am happy to see this relationship flourish with this magnificent trophy which is fitting of such a prestigious competition.”
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tokyo: Reigning champions Japan have announced their squad for AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018, with World Cup-winning striker Nahomi Kawasumi making a surprise return to the national team for the first time in two years.
The US-based 32-year-old – whose glittering résumé includes a FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and an Olympic silver medal, was named in Asako Takakura’s side despite not featuring for the Nadeshiko since March 2016.
Kawasumi (pictured above, right), who contributed two goals when Japan became world champions in Germany in 2011, is yet to feature in Takakura’s plans since her appointment as head coach following the 2016 Rio Olympics qualifying tournament.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sydney: The 23 players tasked with winning Australia’s second Asian women’s title have been revealed, after head coach Alen Stajcic named a star-studded squad for next month’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Jordan.
Key players Sam Kerr, Katrina Gorry, Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kenendy are all present, in addition to Matildas all-time top scorer Lisa De Vanna, who is set to appear in the tournament for a fifth time.
However, influential winger Caitlin Foord will not be on the plane to Jordan after the 2016 AFC Women’s Player of the Year failed to recover from the foot injury she sustained in the recent W-League finals series.
Kyah Simon, Steph Catley, Hayley Raso and Emily Gielnik – all recent fixtures on the Australian injury list – have recuperated sufficiently to be named in the squad.
Stajcic’s squad is blessed with experience. 13 of the 23 players named have amassed over 50 international caps, and four – Kerr, De Vanna, Simon and Michelle Heyman – have scored at least 20 international goals.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Seoul: Korea Republic have named their final squad for next month’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018, with a 23-strong playing list announced on Friday.
Head coach Yoon Duk-yeo made two changes to the playing group that finished equal seventh at this week’s Algarve Cup in Portugal, with Kim Do-yeon and Kim Hye-yeong replacing the injured Sim Dam-young and Shim Seo-yeon.
Chelsea star and Taegeuk Ladies all-time top scorer Ji So-yun headlines the squad, with the 27-year-old just one appearance away from becoming the fourth Korea Republic international to reach 100 caps.
Ji is one of five players who play their club football abroad, alongside newly Norwegian-based midfield leader Cho So-hyun, Melbourne Victory forward Jeon Ga-eul and INAC Kobe Leonessa duo Cho Ye-seul and Lee Min-a.