South Korea's women's football team returned to the Asian Games semifinals for the first time in eight years Friday, powered by a hat trick from rising star Yun Su-jeong of Suwon FC.
The team, led by head coach Shin Sang-woo, defeated Uzbekistan 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan.
South Korea's best finish at the Asian Games is a bronze medal, a feat the team achieved three consecutive times — at the 2010 Guangzhou, 2014 Incheon and 2018 Jakarta-Palembang games. The squad was eliminated in the quarterfinals at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, held in 2023, but has now advanced to the final four again. South Korea will face Japan in the semifinals Tuesday in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, aiming to reach the final for the first time in history.
Coach Shin handed Yun a starting berth after she came off the bench to score the equalizer in the group-stage finale against North Korea. Choi Yu-ri of Suwon FC Women led the attack, with Kang Chae-rim of Gangjin Swans, Ji So-yeon of Suwon FC and Yun operating behind her. Jung Min-young of Ottawa Rapid and Kim Min-ji of Seoul City Hall anchored the midfield. The back four consisted of Jang Seul-gi of Gyeongju Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, No Jin-young of Mungyeong Sangmu, Lee Min-hwa of Hwacheon KSPO and Kim Hye-ri of Suwon FC, with Kim Min-jeong of Incheon Hyundai Steel in goal.
The decision paid off immediately. In the sixth minute, Yun met a free kick from Kim Hye-ri with a header while nearly facing away from goal, looping the ball over the goalkeeper in a perfect arc.
South Korea conceded the equalizer in the 10th minute to Dillorakon Khabibullaeva, but Choi Yu-ri restored the lead in the 17th, winning a physical battle on the right side of the penalty area before finishing with her right foot. Yun added another in the 44th minute, and Choi struck again in stoppage time to send South Korea into the break leading 4-1.
The second half brought a scare. Kang Chae-rim went off in the 60th minute with an ankle injury, replaced by Kang Tae-gyeong of Seoul City Hall. Jang Seul-gi then put through her own net in the 65th minute, and a goal from Nilufar Kudratova a minute later suddenly cut the three-goal cushion to one.
Yun settled the nerves, completing her hat trick with a goal in the 74th minute to restore momentum. Kim Min-ji added a header in stoppage time to seal the result.
Playing in just her sixth senior international, Yun has now scored four goals at the tournament, putting her in contention for the Golden Boot.
why37@heraldcorp.com
