The fact the biennial tournament was won by DPR Korea - the only team among the quartet already eliminated from France 2019 qualifying - says much about the strength of women’s football in that part of the Asian continent. They were eliminated from France 2019 contention earlier this year after finishing behind Korea Republic on goal difference during the preliminary stage.

If DPR Korea felt they had a point to prove in Chiba, then they emphatically did so. DPR Korea won all three matches without conceding a goal, and in the process wrapped up a third successive regional crown.

DPR KOREA 2 (Kim Yun-mi 65’, Ri Hyang-sim 82’)
JAPAN 0

In a tournament which began one day before the final draw for next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup, the only participating nation which failed to qualify for Jordan 2018 gave the world a reminder of their quality, winning all three matches without conceding a goal.

After wins over Korea Republic and China PR, DPR Korea only needed a draw against Japan to claim the championship, but a pair of second half goals put an exclamation mark on their third consecutive East Asian title.

Kim Yun-mi scored the first of the match, and her fourth of the tournament, when she ruthlessly punished a half-hearted clearance by firing a left foot shot past goalkeeper Sakiko Ikeda and into the bottom right hand corner of the net from 25 metres.

2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup-winner Ri Hyang-sim put the result beyond beyond doubt with eight minutes remaining, latching onto a cross that was seemingly intended for Sung Hyang-sim to prod the ball home from close range.

The win, watched by a crowd of 5,227 in Chiba, means DPR Korea are the first team to win the EAFF E-1 Championship three times, and ensures Kim Kwang-min’s side’s nine-year unbeaten run at the tournament will continue into the next edition in 2019.

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The rise, which sees Alen Stajcic’s team leapfrog France and Canada, reflects an outstanding run of form which has included seven consecutive international wins, all against teams in the global top 15 at the time the matches were held.

Only the United States, Germany and England sit above the Australians, who reach heights unmatched by any Asian team since Japan climbed to third in the wake of their famous 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup triumph in Germany.

The current Japanese side, who will meet the Matildas in the group stage at April’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup, fell one place to ninth, while DPR Korea dropped out of the top ten after they also fell by a single positon to 11th.

Korea Republic, who will also meet Australia and Japan at Jordan 2018, climbed one place to 13th, while China PR’s four-match international losing streak contributed to their three-position drop to 16th.

Thailand (30th) remain narrowly ahead of Southeast Asian rivals Vietnam (32nd) after both nations fell by a single place, while Jordan remains 50th for the third consecutive rankings update.

Despite not playing any matches in the period since the last update, fellow AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers the Philippines climbed one position to 69th.

 

The Young Nadeshiko bounced back to beat USA 1-0 in the match for third place thanks to Ueno, a goal that earned her side a bronze medal, took her tournament tally to five goals, and clinched her the adidas Golden Boot for the competition.

“If I could, I would have happily swapped that individual trophy for the world title and shared it with my teammates,” she told FIFA.com, casting her mind back just over 12 months to the tournament.

“We were dreaming of winning it and it was very disappointing for us to only finish third. Obviously, I was pleased with the Golden Boot, it’s given me confidence as a striker. It wasn’t just down to my hard work though, I owe it first and foremost to my teammates.”