By Michael Church, OCA Media
Shizuoka, Japan, October 2, 2026: Goalkeeper Shu Ohba was the hero as Japan retained the gold medal in the women’s football final at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 with a 5-3 penalty shoot-out win over DPR Korea at Shizuoka Stadium on Friday
Ohba saved Jong Kum’s spot-kick in the third round of penalties and Yuzuho Shiokoshi hit the winner after the teams had shared a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes and extra-time was unable to separate the two evenly matched nations.
The win was Japan’s third in a row in the Asian Games final and the country’s fourth overall but only came after Hanon Nishino had scored four minutes from time to pull the hosts level and take the game into extra-time.
Nishino’s 86th minute strike came as goals from Jong Kum in the 47th minute and Jon Ryung Jong 22 minutes later had given DPR Korea the lead after Mami Ueno’s 32nd minute opener for the hosts.
The Japanese went in front when a slick move down the left unlocked the DPR Korea defence.
Yoshino Nakashima released Funa Yunase into space down the left side of the penalty area, allowing her to cut possession back into the path of Shiokoshi, whose shot was blocked by captain Ri Kum Hyang.
But the ball ricocheted out to the edge of the penalty area, from where Ueno hit a low first-time strike that goalkeeper Yu Son Gum was unable to prevent from flying into the bottom corner.
DPR Korea rarely threatened in the opening 45 minutes but within two minutes of the restart Pak Song Jin’s team had equalised, making the most of a mistake by Megu Hamada and Jong Kum’s looping cross from the left somehow beat Ohba.
By the 69th minute DPR Korea had taken the lead with a moment of brilliance from Jon Ryong Jong, the midfielder finding the top corner of the helpless Ohba’s goal from 18 yards out after a neat lay off by Han Jin Hong.
Japan, though, battled back and were level with four minutes remaining. Nishino received the ball into her feet 18 yards from goal and, after playing herself into space inside the area, clipped a perfect finish beyond Yu Son Gum.
Neither side was able to breakthrough in extra-time, leaving Ohba to secure the gold for Japan when she dived to her left to keep out Jong Kum’s penalty.
Earlier in the day, defender Noh Jin-young scored the only goal of the game as Korea secured a 1-0 win over China to claim the bronze medal.
The Chinese defence struggled to clear Kim Hye-ri’s fourth minute free kick into the penalty area and, after Choe Yu-ri steered the ball into her path, Noh nodded past Xiao Zitong from six yards out.