China to Face DPRK for AFC Women's Championship Title

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, June 20, 2003

China to Face DPRK for AFC Women's Championship Title

China will face defending champions the DPR Korea in the final of the AFC Women's Champinship after defeating South Korea 3-1 (halftime 2-1) in a semifinal on Thursday.

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Striker Bai Jie scored two goals to help China beat South Korea 3-1 in the semifinals of the Asian Women's Soccer Championship here on Thursday evening.

China will play defending champions DPR Korea in Saturday's final while South Korea face Japan in the third-place play-off. DPR Korea thrashed Japan 3-0 in the other semifinal.

Whoever wins the third-place play-off will qualify automatically for the Women's World Cup, while the loser will playoff against Mexico for a berth at the tournament in the United States this autumn.

Bai Jie put China 1-0 ahead 11 minutes into the match when her cross was deflected over South Korean goalkeeper Jung Ho-jung.

China doubled their lead seven minutes later when Bai beat the offside trap and calmly fired the ball past Jung again.

South Korea, who reached the semifinals as the best second-place team in the group phrase, pulled one back on 26 minutes as midfielder Kim Ji-eun unleashed a 25-meter shot that scored beyondthe outstretching arms of China goalie Zhao Yan.

After the break South Korea had the more possession but they failed to grab the equalizer in front of a solid Chinese defense.

Bai was denied her hat-trick in the 83rd minute when she rounded off Jung but her shot was cleared off the line by Yoo Young-sil.

But it was a matter of timing that China found the net again. Playmaker Sun Wen made it 3-1 with a well-executed shot three minutes from time.

"It's a hard game for us, but we won. I'm satisfied with the outcome," Chinese coach Ma Liangxing said after the match.

"They (South Korea) have improved considerably since we last met in the Busan Asian Games last October," he added.

As for Saturday's clash with DPR Korea, Ma was reluctant to comment too much.

"What I can tell you is that I will make a lot of changes to the line-up," he said.

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