China & S. Korea advance in Women's Asian Cup

China, the defending champions, have secured their place in the Women's Asian Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Taiwan. The decisive goals came in extra time, with Shao Ziqin scoring in the 94th minute and an own goal from Chen Ying-hui sealing the win. This triumph not only keeps China's pursuit of a record-extending 10th title alive but also guarantees them a direct spot in the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Joining China in the last four is South Korea, who demonstrated their strength with a commanding 6-0 win against Uzbekistan in Sydney. This victory also ensures their qualification for the 2027 World Cup. South Korea, the runners-up in 2022, will compete against either Japan or the Philippines in their semi-final match.

China's semi-final opponent will be hosts Australia, in a highly anticipated clash. However, China will be without star midfielder Wang Shuang, who received a second consecutive yellow card. Despite this setback, China's coach expressed confidence in his team's resilience. The match between China and Taiwan carried political undertones, with differing views on Taiwan's status evident among supporters.

Taiwan and Uzbekistan, despite their quarter-final losses, still have a chance to qualify for the World Cup through playoffs. They will join North Korea and the loser of the Japan-Philippines game in this playoff round. The winners of these playoff matches will also earn automatic berths in the global tournament.