For a while, the South Korean women's national football team felt they got the short end of the stick when it came to the draw at the Hangzhou Asian Games, with Japan, the best team in the continent, likely being their first knockout opponent.

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However, following a change that even national team officials hadn't learned of until Monday afternoon, South Korea will most likely avoid Japan until the gold medal match.

Members of the South Korean women's national football team train for the Asian Games at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 18, 2023. (Yonhap)

Members of the South Korean women's national football team train for the Asian Games at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 18, 2023. (Yonhap)

In the 16-nation competition in China, South Korea will play out of Group E against Hong Kong, Myanmar and the Philippines. Japan, the defending champions, will face Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh in Group D. Both South Korea and Japan are favored to win their groups.

In Hangzhou, groups have different numbers of teams: Three teams each in Groups A, B and C, and four apiece in Groups D and E. The five group winners and the three best runners-up will advance to the quarterfinals.

Initially, Group D and E winners were to face each other in the quarterfinals, while winners of Groups A, B and C were to take on runners-up from other groups.