PERTH, Australia — The Chinese women’s football team secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory against Taiwan in a politically charged Women’s Asian Cup quarterfinal clash on Saturday. The match, which remained scoreless through regular time, saw Shao Ziqin break the deadlock just three minutes into extra time before a late own goal sealed China’s progression to the semifinals.
The victory guarantees China a place in both the tournament semifinals against host nation Australia and the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. The match represented more than just football, occurring against the backdrop of longstanding geopolitical tensions between the two nations.
China demonstrated clear dominance throughout the contest, ultimately deserving their victory after maintaining consistent pressure on the Taiwanese defense. The team’s advancement continues their defense of the Asian Cup title they won in the previous tournament.
In other quarterfinal action, Australian superstar Sam Kerr propelled the host nation to a 2-1 victory over North Korea on Friday, securing Australia’s World Cup qualification. South Korea faced Uzbekistan in Saturday’s later match, while Japan prepared to meet the Philippines on Sunday, entering the contest with a perfect record of three wins and an impressive 17 goals scored without conceding.
The tournament structure guarantees World Cup qualification for all four semifinalists, while fifth and sixth-placed teams will have another opportunity through a playoff system. North Korea will compete in such a playoff next Thursday in Australia for a chance to secure their World Cup place.
The competition has not been without controversy, as the group stage concluded earlier this week amid reports of Iran’s departure from the tournament and asylum claims from members of their delegation.