China loses to Japan at E. Asian Football Championship

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Any hopes that China’s women could win the 2017 East Asian Championship in officially ended Monday with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Japan.

After losing 2-0 to the DPRK three days previously, the Chinese team had to beat the hosts to stay in the hunt. But Japan were able to get on scoresheet in the 20th minute as Emi Nakajima slickly passed to Mina Tanaka, who fired it home.

Mina Tanaka of Japan celebrates scoring the opening goal between Japan and China at Fukuda Denshi Arena. /VCG Photo

China's Wang Shanshan made a run about 15 minutes later, but this ambitious attempt was off the mark.

China's best chance came in the 64th minute, as Wang Shuang made a run into the box, but her shot was right at the goalie – who kicked it out of harm's way.

China suffered their second straight defeat and the team's coach Sigurdur Eyjolfsson still hasn't won a game since he took over the job in November.

But the Swedish coach did find positives in the loss. "I thought [there] was a good fighting form in the team, we try to keep the ball, some players that moved around to change the position, they did well today."