Heartbreak for Australia as Hamano magic seals Women’s Asian Cup for Japan

Japanese players celebrate after defeating Australia in the Women's Asian Cup soccer final in Sydney. (AP )

SYDNEY, March 22, (AP): Maika Hamano took a pass from the left with her back to goal, turned and launched a powerful strike from outside the area in a moment of individual brilliance that secured Japan a third Women’s Asian Cup final with a 1-0 win over Australia.

The 21-year-old Hamano, on loan at Tottenham from Chelsea, scored in the 17th minute to almost silence the crowd of 74,397 at Sydney’s Stadium Australia.

The Australians applied all the pressure in the last 10 minutes, pressing for an equalizer but were continually denied by Japan’s defense, including Alanna Kennedy’s close-range header with two minutes left in regulation.

Japan had beaten Australia in the finals to win back-to-back Women’s Asian Cups in 2014 and 2018, and has now won the title three times in the last four continental championships.

The Australians, who reached the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup on home soil in 2023, had 54% of possession, had 14 shots on goal compared to nine for Japan, and considerably more passes, crosses, and touches in the opposition box.

But as captain Sam Kerr said, “They beat us just off one moment. For most of the game, we had the better chances, and definitely in the second half, most of the possession. So it was just one moment. Unfortunately, that’s what football is decided on.

Japan, the top-ranked team in Asia, tallied 29 goals and conceded just one in six games in a dominant performance in Australia.

The Matildas haven’t won the continental championship since 2010, when Kerr — then 16 — scored in the decider.