Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women’s National Team), who had already secured their place in the knockout stage, confirmed top spot in the group with a convincing 4–0 victory over Vietnam in their final group-stage match of the AFC Women's Asian Cup on Tuesday 10 March at Perth Rectangular Stadium.

Japan made nine changes from their previous match. YAMASHITA Ayaka (Manchester City) started in goal, while a back four of SHIMIZU Risa (Liverpool FC), TAKAHASHI Hana (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies), KUMAGAI Saki (London City Lionesses) and KITAGAWA Hikaru (Everton) lined up in defence. NAGANO Fuka (Liverpool FC) anchored the midfield behind HASEGAWA Yui (Manchester City) and TANIKAWA Momoko (Bayern Munich), while FUJINO Aoba (Manchester City) and HAMANO Maika (Tottenham Hotspur) supported centre-forward UEKI Riko (West Ham United) in a 4-3-3 formation.

Japan dominated possession from the outset and controlled the tempo, stretching the play across the full width of the pitch while looking to exploit openings with well-timed vertical passes. Vietnam defended deep with a back five, but Japan continued to probe patiently in search of a breakthrough.

The opener arrived in the 21st minute. Hasegawa delivered a cross from the right that Ueki met with a header to give Japan the lead. Japan maintained the pressure and continued to move the ball quickly, unsettling the Vietnamese defence with fluid positional rotations. Tanikawa threatened with a shot from a central combination in the 27th minute, while Nagano tested the goalkeeper from distance a minute later. In the 30th minute, Shimizu’s cross was met by a volley from Fujino, only for goalkeeper Khong Thi Hang to produce a fine save. Ueki came close again in the 39th minute with a high header from Hamano’s cross, but Japan went into the break leading 1–0.

Japan introduced TANAKA Mina (Utah Royals), MIYAZAWA Hinata (Manchester United) and KOGA Toko (Tottenham Hotspur) at half-time and quickly increased the pressure after the restart. In the 51st minute, Tanaka received a pass from Nagano, beat her marker and initiated the move before Hamano calmly finished with her left foot to double the advantage.

Japan remained firmly in control. Miyazawa threatened with a sharp run in the 57th minute, and further changes followed in the 63rd minute as SEIKE Kiko (Brighton & Hove Albion) and YAMAMOTO Yuzuki (Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza) entered the pitch.

The third goal came just two minutes later. Fujino, drifting into a central position, ran onto a through ball from Nagano and finished calmly. Japan extended their lead again in the 67th minute when Seike collected Miyazawa’s through pass and slotted home to make it 4–0.

Japan continued to attack in the closing stages, with substitute HIJIKATA Maya (Aston Villa) also going close, but no further goals were added as the match ended 4–0. The victory secured Japan three wins from three and confirmed their place in the knockout stage as group winners.

Japan will now travel to Sydney to face the Philippines Women's National Team in the quarter-finals on Sunday 15 March.

Coach and Players' Comments

Nils NIELSEN, Head Coach of Nadeshiko Japan
The players showed great concentration throughout the match. Finishing top of the group is also beneficial in terms of travel during the knockout stage. In the first half there were moments when our passes became too long or when we tried to force play in crowded areas, so that needed adjusting. At half-time I told the players to use the space around them more effectively and not to hesitate to take shots. Having scored in the first half made things easier, and I think we made good adjustments in the second half. We have not had to defend for long periods during the group stage, so ahead of the quarter-finals we want to further improve the quality of our defending and our transitions while preparing to create more goal-scoring opportunities.

DF #2 SHIMIZU Risa (Liverpool FC/England)
It was challenging because some of their players stayed high up the pitch, but I tried to push forward myself so that I could force them back. There were a few moments where we allowed chances, and I see that as an area we need to improve defensively. I didn’t expect to play on the left side during the match, but I’ve done it at club level before, so I was able to adapt without problems. In attack, I adjust my positioning and role depending on the characteristics of the players around me. In the second half, (Fujino) Aoba was able to exploit the space behind the defenders, so I looked to play passes that would make use of third-player movements while communicating with my team-mates. Matches like this naturally draw attention to the attacking side, but we want to refine our defending as well for what lies ahead.

MF #10 NAGANO Fuka (Liverpool FC/England)
I’m happy we won, but both individually and as a team there are still many areas we need to improve, and we want to be better in the next match. For (Fujino) Aoba’s goal, her run was excellent, so all I had to do was deliver the pass. Our centre-backs are strong in the air, so I always try to position myself to collect second balls, trusting that they will win their duels. However, today there were several situations where we needed to react faster when the opponent had possession or during transitions. That’s something we must address properly before the next match.

MF #15 FUJINO Aoba (Manchester City/England)
Compared to the opening match, there was more space between the opponent’s lines, and we felt we could break them down through combinations while moving the ball across the pitch, so I was able to play without rushing. Defensively, we managed risk well and stayed focused until the end. For the goal, (Nagano) Fuka delivered a great pass. My first touch worked well, so I just had to stay calm and finish. That was a play we talked about during half-time, so I am glad we were able to execute it. During the match, (Hamano) Maika and I discussed switching flanks, and we were able to adjust within the flow of the game while communicating with the coach. In the knockout stage, I want to continue creating breakthroughs on the wing and threatening the goal, while improving the quality of plays in the final third.

FW #11 TANAKA Mina (Utah Royals/USA)
I’m disappointed that I didn’t score, but coming on in the second half I felt I was able to get involved in a positive way and help change the momentum. Watching from the bench in the first half, I felt we were receiving the ball too much to our feet, which slowed down the tempo. The opponent was defending deep, which made things difficult, but I thought we still needed to increase both the speed of our passing and the overall tempo of play, so that was something I kept telling the team in the second half. I was very happy that my team-mates celebrated my 100th cap after the match. Since first joining the national team at 18, I’ve experienced many things, but as a forward I want to maintain my hunger for goals and keep striving for bigger objectives. Knockout matches bring a different kind of challenge, so we need to stay focused and prepare well for the next game.

AFC Women's Asian Cup™ Australia 2026

Tournament Date: Sun. 1 March - Sat. 21 March 2026
Tournament information