TOYOTA, Japan — Eom Ji-sung scored on the hour Saturday as South Korea beat host Japan 1-0 in the men’s football final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, becoming the first country to win four consecutive Asian Games titles in the event.
The Swansea City forward struck in the 61st minute at Toyota Stadium, near Nagoya, sealing South Korea’s third straight win over Japan in an Asian Games final and securing military service exemptions for the South Korean players.
The victory, under coach Lee Min-sung, extended a run that began at the 2014 Incheon Games and continued at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games and the 2022 Hangzhou Games, which were held in 2023.
Eom delivers again
Eom, one of South Korea’s overage players, made the decisive play after teammate Yang Min-hyuk won the ball back. Eom controlled the ball inside the penalty area, beat a defender and fired a left-footed shot into the net.
It was his fourth goal of the tournament. He had also set up both South Korean goals in the 2-1 semifinal win over China.
Eom, who played for South Korea at this year’s World Cup, had served as stand-in captain after regular skipper Lee Gi-hyuk was injured.
He threatened early, stripping the ball from an opponent and dribbling forward before firing an early shot. Another early chance went over the bar.
Japan creates chances but can’t score
Japan responded with a dangerous header from a corner shortly afterward. The hosts created the better chances over the course of the match, according to Agence France-Presse, but could not break through.
Japan suffered a blow in the first half when forward Uche Nwadike was carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury.
Japan had a chance to tie the match late, but a shot hit the post, and South Korea held on for the victory.
Japan, coached by Go Oiwa, fielded a mostly home-based under-21 squad. Oiwa is set to take over Japan’s senior national team after next year’s Asian Cup.
Third straight final defeat for Japan
The loss was another painful defeat for Japan against its biggest rival. South Korea also beat Japan 2-1 after extra time in the 2018 final and 2-1 in the 2022 final in Hangzhou.
Japan was seeking its first Asian Games men’s football gold since 2010.
The hosts reached the final after a grueling semifinal against Uzbekistan, rallying to tie the match late in regulation before winning a penalty shootout 9-8 that went to the 10th kicker. That 120-minute battle raised concerns about fatigue heading into the final.
Military exemption
The gold medal carries major personal significance for South Korea’s players. Under South Korean law, Asian Games gold medalists are exempt from mandatory military service, which otherwise requires about 18 months of service for most able-bodied men.
The exemption allows players, particularly those at clubs in Europe, to continue their professional careers without interruption.
A lift after a difficult World Cup
The victory offered a boost for South Korean football after a difficult year. The senior national team was eliminated in the round of 32 at the World Cup in North America this summer, and the sport has been hit by a series of controversies.
South Korea’s under-23 team also faced complaints during the build-up to the Asian Games, but it delivered when it mattered most.
The Asian Games men’s football tournament is contested mainly by under-23 teams, with each squad allowed three overage players.
Road to gold
South Korea won its group before advancing through the knockout rounds. In the semifinal against China, Lee Young-jun headed in a corner from Eom to tie the score after China took the lead, and Bae Jun-ho volleyed in Eom’s cross in the 82nd minute for the winner.
Bae said after that match that he and Eom had planned the winning goal at halftime.
“I knew he was going to go for the far post and that’s why I ran behind the left back,” Bae told Reuters.
Most successful nation
South Korea is the most successful country in the history of the Asian Games men’s football tournament. Saturday’s victory added to a record that includes titles shared with Myanmar in 1970 and North Korea in 1978.
A fierce rivalry
Matches between South Korea and Japan carry enormous significance in both countries, reflecting a long and complex history between the neighbors. Winning a third consecutive final against Japan on Japanese soil made the victory especially meaningful for South Korean fans.
The 2026 Asian Games close Sunday. For South Korea, the gold medal caps a successful tournament and offers hope for the future, as several young players gain experience and freedom to focus on their club careers. For Japan, the defeat extends a frustrating wait for gold, but its young squad could form the core of the national team under Oiwa in the years ahead.
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