At the 2023 International Football Federation (FIFA) Australia-New Zealand Women’s World Cup, the fates of Japan and China, the ‘powerhouses of Asian tradition’, were mixed. While Japan overcame the dark period and found a clue to a new leap forward, China continued its sluggish performance.

The Women’s World Cup finished the group stage on the 3rd (Korean time). Asia, where Korea, Australia, Japan, China, the Philippines, and Vietnam participated, had high expectations for Japan and China, which had experience in advancing to the finals. However, while Japan passed the group stage in first place, China cried when it was eliminated from the group stage for the first time in history.

In Group C of the tournament’s group stage, Japan won 3 unbeaten matches against Zambia (5-0 win), Costa Rica (2-0 win) and Spain (4-0 win). It is evaluated that coach Futoshi Ikeda succeeded in improving the team constitution. After working with director Norio Sasaki for 9 years in 2016, Japan handed over the baton to director Asako Takakura. However, when Takakura made it to the round of 16 and quarterfinals at the 2019 French tournament and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, respectively, Ikeda was appointed coach in October 2021.안전놀이터

Coach Ikeda gave the team systematic ball possession and tight defense intervals. A large generational change was also achieved, with only 9 of the members from 4 years ago continuing to attend this tournament. It is poised to regain the glory of winning the German competition in 2011 and runner-up in the Canadian competition in 2015. Japan will play Norway in the round of 16 at the Regional Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand on the 5th.

China collapsed helplessly in Group D of the group stage. Against Denmark (0-1 loss), Haiti (1-0 win), and England (1-6 loss), it was only 1 win and 2 losses. Criticism continues, saying, “China has been drifting since the runner-up in the 1999 U.S. competition.”

China recruited stars such as Barbra Banda (Zambia) to the Chinese Women’s Super League to improve the quality of its players. However, immediately after the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), most of them left China and failed to improve their level. Overseas players such as Shen Mengyu (Celtic Women) and Li Mengwon (Paris Saint-Germain Feminine) are also sluggish, so there is a possibility that a dark period will continue for the time being.