Reigning champions DPR Korea edged hosts China 1-0 in the AFC Women's Asian Cup semifinal?in Chengdu?on Thursday.

The semifinal winners will qualify for next year's FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany.

DPR Korea, who are gunning for their fourth title in five editions, will face Australia in the Asian Cup final on Sunday, the latter beat Japan 1-0 to reach the final earlier Thursday.

"We missed a lot of chances today because our team are quite young and lack of experiences," said DPR Korea coach Kim Kwang Mim. "I am very proud of my players that they fought to the last minute."

China will take on Japan in the third-place playoff on Sunday, and the winner will qualify for the World Cup next year in Germany.

"We performed quite well at the beginning, but DPR Korea are stronger than us," said Shang Ruihua, coach of the Chinese team. "We've expected to play the penalty shootout, but failed due to a mistake made by ourselves."

"I am satisfied with my players," he said. "It is the best game we played here at the Asian Cup. Now we still have chances for the World Cup, and we'll do our best."

"Japan have the best techniques of the last four teams," Shang added. "I didn't expect that they could be beaten by Australia, just as I didn't expect that we could lost due to one of our mistakes. But it is football. We will be very well prepared."

The defending champions harvested the unique goal on 108 minutes, 18 minutes into the extra time. Midfielder Kim Kyong Hwa pounced on the loose ball to break the deadlock after her teammate's shot was rejected.

DPR Korea, who beat China 2-1 in the Asian Cup final two years ago, created many scoring chances but failed to cash in a single one in the regular time.

The reigning champions took advantage of the field with their offensive attacks and solid defense, while China were pressed into their own half most time of the first half. The hosts even failed to make a real challenging attack against DPR Korea's goalmouth before the break.

China improved their performance in the second half and launched several counter attacks, but they still failed to open the scoring.

DPR Korea could have taken the lead when Ra Un Sim's powerful shot went narrowly wide in the 21st minute, two minutes before Kim Kyong Hwa's long shot was denied by China's goalkeeper Zhang Yanru.

DPR Korea's forward Kim Yong Ae was given time and space outside the box in the 33rd minute after an unforced error made by China's goalie and defender, but her shot to an empty net was rejected by defender Yuan Fan, one minute before Zhang rejected Yun Song Mi's low shot.

DPR Korea launched a free kick two minutes later, but midfielder Kim Kyong Hwa's surpurb shot miss the target as the ball went narrowly wide.

China launched a corner in the 43rd minute by captain Bi Yan, but forward Han Duan made a sky shot to miss the chance. The same repeated in the 66th minute when Han's shot went higher after a corner arched by Bi.

DPR Korea could have won the semi within 90 minutes when Kim Yong Ae fired wide from a tight angle in the 80th minute.

After the goal that the home crowd dreaded arrived in the 108th minute, the hosts tried hard to equalize, but failed at last.

The "Steel Roses" now stretched their poor record against DPR Korea, as their 1-0 win in the semifinal of the 2006 Asian Cup remains their only victory over the old foes in their last 14 encounters before this time in Chengdu.