It would also be remiss not to mention goalkeeper Kim Minjung, for that triple save in the Japan match if nothing else. Kim was absent from the national squad under previous manager Colin Bell, but has been on good form recently for both club and country. Her playing all three matches of this tournament suggests she will be the first-choice keeper heading into the Asian Cup.
The state of women’s football in Korea
When Korea’s women last lifted this trophy in 2005, there were only two or three semi-professional women’s teams in the country, and no year-round league. As women’s football saw a massive expansion globally following the 1999 Women’s World Cup, there have been developments within Korea, too. However, despite the establishment of the WK League in 2009, and the success of Korean players overseas, bringing more media attention to women’s football, the domestic situation still leaves a lot to be desired.