Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Ho Chi Minh City: Goals from Katrina Gorry and Elise Kellond-Knight took defending champions Australia through to the final of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup and a meeting with World Cup holders Japan after they edged Korea Republic 2-1 in the semi-final at Thong Nhat Stadium on Thursday.
After an open and entertaining first-half finished goalless, the second period needed only a minute to have its first goal as Gorry netted her third of the tournament. Towering Korea striker Park Eun-sun equalised six minutes later from the penalty spot but with 14 minutes of the tie remaining Kellond-Knight was on target to secure Australia a deserved victory.
Alen Stajcic’s side thus maintained their unbeaten record in the tournament to advance into the competition’s final to be played on Sunday at Thong Nhat Stadium with Korea Republic also returning to the same stadium in the day’s earlier game to face China and decide the tournament’s third place spot.
Korea Republic coach Yoon Duk-yeo made three changes to the side that shared a goalless draw with China in their final Group B game on Monday with forwards Yeo Min-ji, Kim Na-rae and Yoo Young-ah coming in to try and off-set the loss of Chelsea LFC playmaker Ji So-yun who had returned to the London club following the group stages.
Stajcic, meanwhile, set up his Australia side with ten of the starting 11 that played the tournament opener against Japan with the lone exception of defender Laura Alleway replacing Alanna Kennedy.
And it was the defending champions who began much the stronger in a first-half that began at break-neck speed with Michelle Heyman’s cross in the first minute of the tie almost turned in to her own net by a Korean defender.
Caitlin Foord then flashed a shot narrowly wide just five minutes as the Matildas threatened to overwhelm the East Asians in a furious opening spell.
Korea Republic did manage to haul themselves back into the tie after the quarter-hour mark as Yoo forced her way down the right flank and past two Australia defenders only to see her effort blocked by the legs of goalkeeper Lydia Williams.
But the Matildas re-asserted their dominance and things got worse for Korea as Lim Seon-joo was then stretchered off on 23 minutes following a collision, to be replaced by Ahn Hye-in.
The rhythm of the game continued up to the interval as a Australia continued to press with their high velocity attacking game, and a passing moving involving Gorry and Lisa De Vanna culminated in a superb reaction save by Kim Jung-mi from Foord’s close-range effort.
And just a minute after the restart the Matildas had the lead as a mix-up in the Korean backline saw the ball comeback to De Vanna outside the penalty and her lay-off to the dangerous Gorry was fired home for the midfielder’s third goal in consecutive games.
Australia’s joy lasted for just five minutes, though, as on a rare foray forward Kim Na-rae was adjudged to have been fouled inside the penalty box under the challenge of Heyman and tournament top-scorer Park stepped up to slot the ball into the bottom right-hand corner for sixth goal of the competition.
In a haste to restore their lead, the defending champions began to pour forward at will and Heyman came close with a header that clipped the top of the crossbar following Gorry’s deep cross in from the right flank.
But they didn’t have to wait long for a second goal as on 76 minutes, Australia went back in front as Kellond-Knight’s low in-swinging free-kick from the right-flank evaded defenders, attackers and, crucially, goalkeeper Kim Jung Mi to creep in at the back post.
With four minutes of the tie remaining Jeon Ga-eul almost levelled again in bizarre circumstances as the midfielder’s hopeful overhead kick from the verge of the penalty area almost looped under the crossbar and Williams had to be alert to tip over. But that was the closest Yoon’s side came and Australia rode out the remaining time to book a return meeting with fellow Group A side Japan to decide the champions of Asia.