China ready for Asian Games women's football final

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The coaches of China and Japan say the women's football final of the Asian Games on Friday will be a challenge for both teams.

The coaches spoke highly of each other in a pre-match press conference on Thursday.

"We know that Japan is one of the best teams in Asia and around the world," China's coach Jia Xiuquan said. "They are very disciplined. Our team also has our own style, we believe that tomorrow we are going to have an exciting match."

Chinese midfielder Li Mengwen said her teammates were 100 percent ready for the final.

"We will be in for a tough match. We are not afraid, we are confident," she said.

Japan retained their title at the 2018 Asia Football Federation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup held in April in Jordan. China finished third after Australia.

Japan won the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games women's football gold medal and finished runner-up at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

China's women's football team won gold medals in three consecutive Asian Games in 1990, 1994 and 1998 and finished as runner-up in 2002.

China women's football team beat Chinese Taipei 1-0 on August 28 to secure their place in the final. /VCG Photo

"The China team that we know here is totally different from the one in the Asian Cup. They are now stronger. We will concentrate for the final," Japan's coach Asako Takemoto said.

"They can bear difficult times throughout the 90 minutes. It is going to be a difficult match for us tomorrow."

Japanese midfielder Yui Hasegawa said that her team has seen the significant improvement of their opponents, particularly after China defeated the Democratic People's Republic of Korea 2-0 on their way to the final.

China beat Thailand and Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively.

Japan topped its qualifying group and defeated the DPRK and South Korea in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively to get into the final.

The Asian Games women's football final will be held at 6.30 p.m. local time.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency