Suwon: Japan and China played to a goalless draw at the top East Asian women’s football tournament Wednesday, leaving the door open for the host South Korea to grab the title later in the day.

According to Yonhap News Agency, neither Japan nor China found the back of the net amid downpours in their final match at the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Women’s Football Championship at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul. Japanese captain Hana Takahashi wasted a couple of open looks during second-half stoppage time, as Nadeshiko missed out on clinching their third straight EAFF title.

World No. 7 Japan and 17th-ranked China both finished the four-nation tournament with five points. Japan hold the edge in goal difference, +4 to +2.

This result will allow South Korea to win the tournament by beating Chinese Taipei later Wednesday at Suwon.

In that scenario, South Korea, Japan and China will all have five points. And because they all had draws against one another — South
Korea had a 2-2 draw against China and a 1-1 draw against Japan — goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams will be the first tiebreaker.

South Korea will then finish first with three goals, followed by China with two and Japan with one.

South Korea, ranked 21st, will be the favorite over 42nd-ranked Chinese Taipei. South Korea have had 14 wins, two draws and four losses against Chinese Taipei. Those 14 wins have come in succession, starting in December 2001, and the most recent defeat came in December 1997.

If South Korea either lose or have a draw in that match, then Japan will be the champion thanks to their goal difference edge over China.

This is the ninth edition of the E-1 Women’s Football Championship. South Korea’s only title came at the inaugural edition in 2005. Japan have won four titles and North Korea, who withdrew from this year’s tournament, have won three.