ESPN Philippines

As the second half ticked down in the Women's Asian Cup final between Australia and Japan, the battle between hope and despair intensified. At the restart, 45 minutes felt like all the time in the world. The Matildas were only 1-0 down and had created chances. Japan were being asked to do more work than they had all tournament and were answering the questions asked of them. Anything could have happened. But the clock ticked up. Australia's chances continued to come and go.

SYDNEY, Australia -- Fresh off his nation's triumph in the final of the Women's Asian Cup, Japan Football Association president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto has flagged elevating the level of support for women's football in the country to a level that reflects Nadeshiko's standing as a global footballing power.

SYDNEY -- Japan are the Queens of Asia once more after defeating a gallant Matildas 1-0 at Stadium Australia on Saturday evening. But the pre-tournament favourites were forced to dig deep and hold out, as the host nation launched a veritable green-and-gold onslaught throughout the second stanza.

SYDNEY -- Despite the best efforts of Australia, Japan are the continental champions, winning the 2026 Women's Asian Cup. A first half beauty from Maika Hamano was enough to steer Nadeshiko to another Asian crown. But the Matildas made them work for it, piling on the pressure and the chances. But for every question Australia asked, Japan had an answer. Catch up with all the action from Stadium Australia.

SYDNEY, Australia -- Consistency. That's what Matildas coach Joe Montemurro, reflecting after his side's heartrending 1-0 loss to Japan in the Women's Asian Cup final, thinks is needed to ascend to a new level for the 2027 Women's World Cup and beyond. More consistent top-level opposition, more consistent pathways and structures, and a consistent identity that underlines what Australia wants to achieve as a footballing nation.

Football in the Philippines has always been a game of "almosts" and "what-ifs." For a long time, the narrative was centered around the Azkals in the 2010s. They were the ones who dragged Philippine football into the light, transforming a niche sport into a national conversation. With every strike from Phil Younghusband and every save from Neil Etheridge, they repped the flag with a swagger the country hadn't seen before. But as that decade began to wane, a shift occurred.

LIVERPOOL, England -- There were less than two minutes on the clock at Anfield when Galatasaray's Lucas Torreira found himself swarmed by three Liverpool players deep inside his own half. By the four-minute mark, goalkeeper Ugurcan Çakir had been harried into scuffing a clearance straight out of play. After five minutes, supporters were on their feet to applaud Florian Wirtz for winning a throw-in near the halfway line.

THE CHAMPIONS! We had some more matches in the UEFA Champions League as figured out which teams have qualified for the quarterfinals. Four teams booked their spots Tuesday, and the remaining four were decided Wednesday. Liverpool brushed Galatasaray with ease by winning 4-0, Atlético Madrid were able to extend their aggregate lead to 7-5 and advance past Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich showed no mercy against Atalanta as they won 4-1 on the night and 10-2 on aggregate.

And lo, did the march of Japan roll on, logging a 4-1 win to defeat South Korea at Stadium Australia and book a place in Saturday's AFC Women's Asian Cup final against Australia. Yet again, the tournament favourites looked imperious as they strode beyond a would-be challenger, a Taegeuk Ladies outfit that nominally presented the sternest test of their campaign at times rendered little more than spectators themselves as their foes sliced their way through them. Can anyone stop Nils Nielsen's side?

And then there were four. The Women's Asian Cup quarterfinals have been played and our semifinalists are locked in. So too are the play-in matches to wrap up automatic qualifying for Asia for the Women's World Cup in 2027. Australia took their limited opportunities to defeat North Korea and book their spot in the semifinals. Goals to Alanna Kennedy and Sam Kerr did the job for the host nation in a 2-1 win.