China comeback twice to outfox Japan in shoot-out to set up final date with South Korea | AFC Women's Asian Cup 2022

China booked their place in their eleventh AFC Women's Asian Cup final by beating Japan in the penalty shoot-out. The Chinese women secure the win with a 4-3 scoreline in the second semi-final of the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2022 final in Pune. The game ended 2-2 after extra time.

China came back twice from behind courtesy of goals from Wu Chengshu and Wang Shanshan in the game to take the match to a penalty shootout. Japan took the lead on the both occasions, thanks to a brace from Riko Ueki. Zhu Yu saved two shots in the shoot-out to take China to the final.

Japan dominated the first half against China in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2022

Japan began the game on a dominant note controlling the lion's share of possession in the first half. Riko Ueki had the first chance of the game after she was played through on goal on the right side of the Chinese penalty box. Ueki's shot was miscued and went wide in the third minute.

China kept absorbing the pressure and attempted to hit Japan on the counter. They came close to scoring a goal of their own from a corner but an acrobatic clearance from Ayaka Yamashita kept the scorers untroubled.

After around half an hour of patient gameplay from Japan, the resilient Chinese defence eventually gave in. Riko Ueki glanced home a header into China's goal after a sublime cross from the left by Hinata Miyazawa in the 26th minute. 1-0 Japan.

Japan kept knocking on the doors of China for the remainder of the first half and came close to scoring yet again through goal scorer Riko Ueki in the 31st minute. Yui Hasegawa found Ueki on the far side whose shot from close distance was wide of the China goal.

Riko Ueki scored twice for Japan.

China equalised early in the second-half against Japan in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2022

China started the second-half with promise and equalized in the 46th minute. substitute Xiao Yuyi set up Wu Chengshu, who reached a bobbling cross before her marker to flick it on into the Japanese goal to make it 1-1.

China defended with resilience throughout the second half as Japan missed several opportunities to score their second goal. Mana Iwabuchi had a shot from distance go wide in the 52nd minute. Hinata Mizawa and Riko Ueki's attempts went brushing past the China goal in the 70th and 72nd minute respectively.

Japan were restricted to a 1-1 score line after 90 minutes of regulation time as China showed diligence and discipline in defense to take the game to extra time.

China came back from behind against Japan yet again in extra time to take the game to a penalty shoot-out

Japan started the first half of extra time with conviction and eventually managed to score in the first 15 minutes of extra time. Yui Hasegawa set up Riko Ueki with a floated free-kick as the goal-scorer broke the Chinese offside trap to head home her and Japan's second goal.

China kept coming at the Japanese in the second period of extra time and eventually managed to complete an inspiring comeback. Wang Shanshan scored off a Zhang Xin cross from the left to make it 2-2 after 118 minutes of play to set up a penalty shoot-out.

Zhu Yu saved two shots in the penalty shoot-out to take China to the final

Zhu Yu saved two penalties for China.

Chinese goalkeeper Zhu Yu saved two shots in the penalty shootout to deny Saki Kumagai and Moeka Minami. It helped China enter into the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2022 final with a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win. Zhang Xin missed the first spot kick for China.

China will now eye their ninth AFC Women's Asian Cup title as they face South Korea in the final on 6th February at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.