In order to capture the championship title, Korea Rep. needed more than 3 goal differences, but at the outset of the match they were overwhelmed in offense by Japan. However, Korea Rep. demonstrated power and high motivation in one-on-one situations, dominating Japan in overall offensive-defensive endeavors. In the 11th minute, Lee Chun Soo broke through on the right side and attempted a shot. In the 35th minute, a long pass was delivered forward and Lee Dong Gook dashed to attempt two piercing shots. These attacks were saved by Japan's goalkeeper, Doi, making his first appearance in the tournament. The first half ended in a scoreless tie, but Japan was able to take only one shot at the goal-a mid-range shot by Motoyama in the 33rd minute-whereas Korea Rep. attempted nine.

At the outset of the second half, Japan's Komano delivered a shot from the right, but the overall control of the game still remained in Korea Rep.'s possession. Specializing in accurate high-range long feeds, Kim Do Heon (KOR) attempted a mid-range shot in the 53rd minute, only to be saved by goalie Doi, then took a free kick in the 62nd minute which hit the cross bar.

The match seemed to be headed for a scoreless draw, but in the 86th minute Japan sees a flash of a chance. Japanese forward Maki, who had demonstrated strong physical plays throughout the match, desperately chased a loose ball with a sliding tackle. The ball bounced off a Korean defender and Japan gained a corner kick. Ogasawara then delivered the corner kick to the front of the goal, where DF Nakazawa stretched out his left foot, chipping the ball into the goal through the legs of the competition's Best Goalie, Lee Woon Jee, to give Japan a 1-0 lead over Korea Rep.

Three minutes of extra time went by, and just as Japan's goalkeeper Doi, who made super saves this day, delivered a free kick into mid-air, the whistle blew.

Capturing second place in the competition, Japan's head coach Zico praised his team's determination to overcome adverse situations, claiming, "We went into this match knowing we had no chance of winning the championship, but we wanted to win against Korea Rep. and our pride kept us aiming for a better finishing position. The entire team worked together to defend the goal against Korea Rep.'s forceful offense and mid-range shots, and I am delighted that we were able to score in the last few minutes to secure a win." Though finishing in last place, Korea Rep.'s head coach Jo Bonfrefre confidently asserted, "We struggled to finish, but our main objective in this competition was to give the younger players a chance. We know where we stand and it was a worthwhile experience."