East Asia Wrap: Kashiwa take top spot; Kobe close in

Mon, 07 Jul, 2025

East Asia Wrap: Kashiwa take top spot; Kobe close in

Hong Kong: Kashiwa Reysol moved to the summit of the J1 League after edging FC Tokyo, while defending champions Vissel Kobe capitalised on a double gameweek to close the gap.

In Mongolia, Falcons maintained their lead with back-to-back wins as Khangarid stayed in pursuit. Over in Macau, Must IPO and Shao Jiang continued their title battle in the Championship Group.

Join the-AFC.com as we take a look at the past week's domestic action across East Asia.

Preview: The 2025 challenge

Mon, 07 Jul, 2025

Preview: The 2025 challenge

Kuala Lumpur: Players from Japan and Korea Republic will be aiming for the spectacular in the 2025 (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship which kicks off on Monday.

The women's tournament starts on Wednesday and will have, just as the men's, four teams competing for the title.

The men's championship kicks off with hosts and five-time winners Korea Republic meeting China PR on Monday.

Inzaghi, Koulibaly confident more to come from Al Hilal

Sun, 06 Jul, 2025

Inzaghi, Koulibaly confident more to come from Al Hilal

Orlando: Al Hilal SFC's FIFA Club World Cup 2025 campaign may have come to an end but head coach Simone Inzaghi is optimistic of what the future holds.

The Saudi Pro League side's challenge was ended by a 2-1 defeat to Brazil's Fluminense on Friday but Inzaghi, who took charge of the side just weeks before the tournament began, has been left impressed.

Kulbyte hails Uzbekistan’s resilience after sealing continental return

Sun, 06 Jul, 2025

Kulbyte hails Uzbekistan’s resilience after sealing continental return

Tashkent: Uzbekistan head coach Kotryna Kulbyte praised her players’ resilience and character after they overcame a red card and a spirited Nepal fightback to book their place in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ with a dramatic 4-2 win on penalties on Saturday.

In what proved to be a thrilling finale to Group F, the hosts looked to be cruising after taking a 2-0 lead by the 40th minute, but the game turned on its head after Nozimakhon Ergasheva’s sending off in first half stoppage time. 

Nepal took full advantage, with forward Sabitra Bhandari netting a hat-trick to force a 3-3 draw and sending the match to a penalty shootout as the sides were tied on points and goal difference. Uzbekistan, however, were perfect from the spot while Sabitra and goalkeeper Anjana Rana Magar failed to convert for Nepal as the Central Asian side finished top of Group F.

Chinese Taipei deserved qualification, says Chan

Sun, 06 Jul, 2025

Chinese Taipei deserved qualification, says Chan

Tangerang Regency: Three-time champions Chinese Taipei confirmed their spot at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ after beating Indonesia 2-1 in their Qualifiers Group D decider on Saturday.

Head coach Chan Hiu Meng believes that Chinese Taipei’s achievement in securing a second straight Finals appearance is one that is warranted given the drive and focus that the squad has shown towards this path.

Chettri envisions bright future for India

Sun, 06 Jul, 2025

Chettri envisions bright future for India

Chiang Mai: India sealed their place at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Thailand on Saturday with head coach Crispin Chettri attributing the qualification to long-term development.

Sangita Basfore was the star on Saturday, scoring both goals to ensure India finished top of Group B with a perfect record of 12 points, leaving former champions Thailand to miss out on a place in the Finals.