After a scoreless first half, defender Azusa Iwashimizu broke through with her historic header in the 74th minute, helping her jubilant team claim the Asian Games title.
The disciplined and experienced Japanese, led by US-based midfielders Homare Sawa and Aya Miyama, managed to keep the determined North Koreans from scoring the rest of the game.
The win was retribution for Japan’s 2006 loss to the top-ranked North Koreans in a penalty shootout at the last Asian Games in Doha.
Earlier Monday, South Korea claimed the bronze by beating China 2-0, reversing the result from four years ago when China won the third-place match.
The crowd at Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou was raucous as Japan and North Korea played for the gold.
North Korea and Japan are historical rivals — Japan colonized Korea from 1910 to the end of World War II in 1945 — and the match was heated on the field and off.
China remains North Korea’s main ally and has tussled with Japan over territorial disputes, and the fans were firmly behind the North Koreans. It translated into cheers for the Koreans and boos for the Japanese.
In the bronze medal match, South Korea’s Park Hee-young scored just two minutes into the game, and Ji So-yun followed up in the 37th minute. Ji is the tournament’s top scorer with five goals overall.
The Chinese women were unable to get past South Korea’s tough defense and goalkeeper Jin Min-kyung.
The bronze is South Korea’s first Asian Games medal in women’s football.
South Korea coach Choi In-cheul said his players were exhausted from the tough 3-1 semifinal loss to top-seeded North Korea. He said Park’s early goal gave them a boost and paved the way to victory.
“This is our first Asian Games medal and although it’s just a bronze, it’s very precious for all of us,” he told a post-match news conference.
