China seal Tokyo 2020 berth
Wang Shuang’s brace earned China a place in the women’s football tournament at the Olympic Games as Jia Xiuquan’s side drew 2-2 with South Korea to secure a 4-3 aggregate win yesterday.
Wang’s second came two minutes before the end of the first half of extra time after regulation time had ended with the Koreans leading 2-1 on the night and the score level at 3-3 on aggregate.
The result means China join Australia as one of Asia’s two qualifiers for the 12-team women’s tournament at the Tokyo Games.
Japan have qualified automatically as hosts for the finals, which begin on July 21 with the final to be played in Tokyo on Aug 6. Tokyo 2020 is scheduled from July 23-Aug 8.
The Chinese held a 2-1 lead from last week’s first leg in South Korea, but their advantage was cancelled out 31 minutes into the second leg when Kang Chae-Rim slammed home a first time effort.
Choe Yu-Ri then gave the Koreans the lead on aggregate on the stroke of
half-time when she thumped the ball into the Chinese net from close range.
But the Steel Roses fought back in the second half, with Wang netting 21 minutes from time with a free-kick from distance that somehow made its way past South Korea goalkeeper Kim Jung-Mi.
That levelled the score on aggregate
and took the game into 30 minutes of extra time.
Wang hit her side’s decisive goal 13 minutes into the first period of extra time when the Korean defence gave possession away close to their own goal and Wang’s low shot from 20 yards beat Kim to her left.