Nadeshiko Japan failed to qualify for their fourth successive Olympic Games on Monday night, missing out on one of Asia's two places at Rio de Janeiro this summer after China defeated South Korea 1-0.
After winning the 2011 Women's World Cup, capturing a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics and returning to the final at last year's World Cup, Japan's impressive run on the world stage came to a screeching halt even before their 6-1 victory over Vietnam kicked off.
Japan improved to four points with its first win of the competition. But the flood of goals arrived too late as Nadeshiko cannot level or surpass China on 10 points, or leaders Australia on 12 points, with just one game left to play against North Korea on Wednesday.