Matildas "massive favourites" to win Asian Cup: Japan coach

[p]The two-time champions have nailed 28 goals in their five games so far and conceded just one, against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-korea/6LgUhbye/"]South Korea[/a] in their dominant 4-1 semi-final win in Sydney on Wednesday.[/p][p]It set up a repeat of the 2014 and 2018 finals, where [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/ltLyWcnC/"]Japan[/a] triumphed 1-0 on both occasions.[/p][p]This time Japan will have a partisan crowd at the 83,500-capacity Stadium [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/YXMhvJho/"]Australia[/a] to deal with and Greenlander Nielsen put the pressure on the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kerr-samantha/8YuNOAak/"]Sam Kerr[/a]-led Australia by calling them favourites.[/p][p]"[b]The Matildas really have an amazing team, they have adapted to whatever is coming their way,[/b]" he said after the South Korea victory.[/p][p]"They have a great coach ... he hasn't been here long and he's already made so many nice transforms.[/p][p]"[b]When they play in front of a crowd like this, Australia are big favourites, massive favourites for the final.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="27a1b4aa-a84e-4225-91ae-56a9c457abd1" url="https://x.com/ParamountPlusAU/status/2034231664021311861" social-type="twitter" /][p]Australia, the 2010 champions, will need to produce something special to beat Japan, who dazzled against a South Korea team that were runners-up to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/china/IFHViN7N/"]China[/a] four years ago.[/p][p]They seized control from the start and dominated possession with a high-tempo passing game, suffocating the Koreans who managed just six shots all match and only one in the first-half.[/p][p]In contrast, Japan unleashed 21 shots and could have won by more, with three goals disallowed.[/p][p]"[b]It was a very solid performance,[/b]" said Nielsen, a former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denmark/W0rDArJ8/"]Denmark[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/switzerland/SnKLy1MU/"]Switzerland[/a] coach who was recruited by Japan in late 2024.[/p][p]"We tried to take a step up from the level we've shown so far in the tournament and we succeeded. It's not undeserved that we won, in fact we could have won by a bigger margin.[/p][p]"[b]That said, it's not easy to score four so you cannot be unhappy with that.[/b]"[/p]