AFC Women’s Asian Cup: Then there are eight

After two weeks of intense competition, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup will advance to the knockout stages on Sunday, with the top eight teams facing off in the quarter-finals at two venues – DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Pune Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Complex.

Defending champions Japan take on Covid-19 Thailand, while eight-time champions China face Vietnam. In Pune, heavyweight Australia is ready to take on South Korea, while Chinese Taipei will take on the Philippines.

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There will be plenty of games for all eight teams, as the five teams that lead in the competition will qualify for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.

As co-hosts, Australia has already qualified for FIFA’s exciting competition. If the Matildas do qualify for the semi-finals, the four losing teams in the quarter-finals will play in the playoffs on February 2 in Navi Mumbai. The two winning teams will directly qualify for the World Cup, while the two losing teams will advance to the intercontinental playoffs.

If Australia’s game ends in the quarter-finals, the three teams that lose in the quarter-finals will play in a single round-robin playoff, with the winner advancing to the global event and the remaining two teams making reservations for the intercontinental playoffs.

However, the team did not consider the equation. China has not won a tournament since 2006, and Shui Qingxia’s side are chasing their first title in 16 years, and after a successful exit at the league stage, Shui made it clear her team wanted a victory over Vietnam. Never won a championship before.

Captain Wang Shuang and experienced striker Wang Shanshan will have to play key roles for China. They have scored 93 goals for China, and Wang Shuang has scored four in the competition so far – one more than her teammates. China has had all the performances in the game against Vietnam.

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The match between Japan and Thailand has all the ingredients for a coveted clash. While the COVID-19 scare has jeopardized Thailand’s preparations, with head coach Miyo Okamoto and several players missing key games, assistant head coach Natsuko Todoroki said the team was ready for the big game.

Japan dominated the game, first with a 5-0 win over Myanmar, then a victory over Vietnam and a draw with South Korea. Teams will want to keep the momentum going until the knockout rounds.

In another game, the dynamic South Korean team will take on the strong Australian team. South Korea head coach Colin Bell believes playing against a world-class player like Sam Kerr should be an extra motivation for the team.