China see off North Korea 2-1 to top Group B at women's Asian Cup

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/north-korea/fojQgvMl/"]North Korea[/a], second in the ‌group, will face Group A winners [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/YXMhvJho/"]Australia[/a] in ‌the quarter-finals on Friday in a repeat of the 2010 ‌final, which Australia won on penalties. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/china/IFHViN7N/"]China[/a], who won ‌all of their group games, will play the second-placed team in Group C on Saturday.[/p][p]Three-time champions North Korea took the lead in ‌the 32nd minute when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/han-jin-hong/hQFVFKrB/"]Han Jin-Hong[/a]'s ⁠cross from the right ‌was put away by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kim-kyong-yong/GKLU4Nv2/"]Kim Kyong-Yong[/a] at the Western Sydney Stadium.[/p][p]China ​equalised two minutes later, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shao-ziqin/bXPjCDWn/"]Shao Ziqin[/a] played a corner back to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/qiaozhu-chen/dvRkVw7B/"]Chen Qiaozhu[/a], whose low ​left-footed shot from outside the box went through a cluster of defenders and into the net.[/p][p]China, seeking a ⁠record-extending 10th title, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/china-IFHViN7N/north-korea-fojQgvMl/?mid=6J0fRUwp"]​took the lead[/a] in added time before the break when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chengxue-zhang/0d095p7i/"]Zhang Chengxue[/a] sneaked past the North Korean defensive line to send a perfect cross for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wang-shuang/IR4XvLMs/"]Wang Shuang[/a] to fire ‌home.[/p][embed guid="2db05233-5789-4b83-b45b-b22b4f69f089" url="https://x.com/afcasiancup/status/2030963287316103214" social-type="twitter" /][p]Zhang was initially flagged offside, but a VAR review overturned the decision, and the goal stood. The North Korean players and staff protested the decision as the referee booked coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rice-declan/zkQ8Cm6n/"]Ri Song-Ho[/a] and declared half-time.[/p][p]North Korea, who have reached the semi-finals in their last nine appearances, thought they had equalised in the 80th minute, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/choe-il-son/hnu9tgL2/"]Choe Il-Son[/a]'s strike was overturned by VAR due ‌to offside.[/p][p]In Perth, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uzbekistan/fPB68otI/"]Uzbekistan[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/khabibullaeva-diyorakhon/bcDoNdNO/"]Diyorakhon Khabibullaeva[/a] scored early against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bangladesh/ll09QFJe/"]​Bangladesh[/a], before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nozimova-dildora/YRzCG9K3/"]Dildora Nozimova[/a] struck twice within four minutes ‌in the second half and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kudratova-nilufar/xzK5lMqt/"]Nilufar Kudratova[/a] completed the rout in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bangladesh-ll09QFJe/uzbekistan-fPB68otI/?mid=Eq42P88d"]the 4-0 win[/a].[/p][p]Uzbekistan, who finished third in Group B with three points, reached the quarter-finals as one of the tournament's two best third-placed teams thanks to scoring ⁠more goals than the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philippines/CINRvtL5/"]⁠Philippines[/a] who came third ‌in Group A.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/asia/asian-cup-women/"]Follow the competition with Flashscore.[/a][/p]