Soccer-Serial winner Ji looks to bring South Korea overdue success

Ji So-yun aims to drive her South Korean team mates towards victory over China in the final of the Women’s Asian Cup in Navi Mumbai on Sunday as she looks to finally add an international title to an already impressive personal trophy haul.

The 30-year-old has enjoyed a success-laden career since moving from Japan’s INAC Kobe Leonessa to join Chelsea in 2014, winning five Women’s Super League titles, two Women’s FA Cups and two Women’s League for her homeland will push Ji to new heights as the South Koreans make their first-ever Women’s Asian Cup final appearance.

“It’s taken 17 years for me to get into an international final for the first time in my career,” said the midfielder. “No words can describe how desperate I and the other players are to lift the trophy and that will be shown in the performance during tomorrow’s match.”

South Korea were not among the favourites for the title at the start of the competition, with two-time defensaing champions Japan expected to face Australia in a re-run of the last two finals. But the Koreans, led by English coach Colin Bell, eliminated the Matildas in the quarter-finals while Japan’s hopes of a third title in a row ended in the last four with a penalty shoot-out loss against the Chinese.

China are returning to the final for the first time since 2008 and are looking to extend the country’s record title haul to nine having dominated the competition throughout the 1980s and 1990s when it was played on a biennial basis. The two nations las China defeated the Koreans over two legs to qualify for last summer’s Olympic tournament in Japan, but since then the Steel Roses have made a coaching switch with the arrival of Shui Qingxia at the helm.

“We won’t worry too much about our previous games against Korea because we all know anything can happen during the game, especially when the team is facing some difficulties,” said Shui. “So perseverance will lead to success. There unforeseeable happen but we have to maintain a good mood within the team.”

Ji, however, is hoping success for her and her team mates could have a impact that goes beyond Sunday’s game. “Qualifying for the final in this kind of tournament is a big achievement, especially in a difficult time like now wever the pandemic,” she said.

“Our achievements could have given more joy in the lives of the people in Korea. I’m delighted with our achievement because it will give other, younger girls in Korea the motivation to not give up on their dream to become an elite femalefoot “I’m really happy with the achievements we’ve made up until now.”

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)