The Japanese, who won the gold medal in Jakarta in 2018, took the lead in the 12th minute through Yoshino Nakashima and, although Wang Linlin briefly pulled the Chinese level with a looping header in the 20th minute, the holders looked set to advance comfortably.

 

Kano’s team were back in front by the 31st minute when Momoko Tanikawa bent her low right foot shot into the bottom corner and, four minutes later, Yamamoto split the Chinese defence with a pass that released Remina Chiba to score with a first-time shot.

 

Tanikawa’s corner two minutes before the interval provided Japan’s fourth as Toko Koga slid in to score at the far post.

But Shui Qingxia’s side launched a spirited fightback in the second half, with Zhang Linyan heading in her side’s second when she reacted first after seeing teammate Shen Mengyu hit the woodwork with her effort 10 minutes after the restart.

 

And five minutes later the Chinese started to believe the comeback was on when Yang LIna flicked her header over Natsumi Asano to score.

 

The Japanese managed to hold out and will take on a DPR Korea side that cruised past Uzbekistan, with Hong Son Gok setting the tone in the ninth minute with a close range finish before Kim Kyong Yong doubled her side’s lead from the penalty spot nine minutes later.

An Myong Song’s header gave DPR Korea a 3-0 lead in first half injury time and they extended their lead further seconds after the restart when Kim scored her second with a volley from above shoulder height.

 

The goals kept coming for DPR Korea, Ri Hak claiming the fifth via a deflection in the 50th minute and Kim completed her hat trick 13 minutes later with a header.

 

She scored her fourth – and DPR Korea’s seventh –  in the 83rd minute while Kim Hye Yong completed the emphatic win in injury time.