NAGOYA, Japan : Japan’s Yuzuho Shiokoshi hopes the team’s Asian Games soccer gold medal on home soil will encourage more local fans to embrace the women’s game after a modest crowd watched their penalty shootout victory over North Korea.
Around 6,000 spectators attended Friday’s final at the 50,000-seat Shizuoka Stadium, while the host broadcaster chose to show the men’s volleyball semifinal between Japan and China instead.
A day earlier, 65,000 fans watched Japan’s men’s national team beat Ecuador on penalties in the Kirin Cup in Yokohama.
Japan’s women secured their third successive Asian Games gold after Shiokoshi scored the winning penalty in the shootout. Three years ago, Japan beat North Korea in the final in front of 37,000 spectators in Hangzhou, China.
“The crowd today might have been large for this tournament, but compared to last time in Hangzhou, I feel like we’re still not quite there,” Shiokoshi told reporters.
“We’re out there fighting hard, and we want people to come and see us play in person.
“It’s tough at times, given that women’s football isn’t always prioritised for TV broadcasts.”
Japan fielded a squad made up almost entirely of players based domestically rather than their leading players in Europe, despite the Asian Games taking place during much of the September-October international window.
Shiokoshi, who plays for Tokyo Verdy Beleza in Japan’s WE League, said the team’s performances could help raise the profile of the domestic competition.
“I hope this encourages more people to come and watch WE League matches, and that it helps generate some excitement around the league,” she said.
“I think winning the title can boost the league’s value.”
