HANGZHOU - Defending champions Japan beat North Korea 4-1 to win Asian Games women's football gold on Friday with the Chinese crowd in Hangzhou cheering loudly in support of their opponents.

Japan, who went into the final averaging seven goals a game, took an early lead only for North Korea to level less than 10 minutes later.

The two teams remained deadlocked until Japan scored three goals in the space of six second-half minutes to put the result beyond doubt.

It gave them their third gold in the last four Asian Games and denied North Korea their first title since 2014.

Japan lined up with only one player from the squad that reached the World Cup quarter-finals this summer.

The Chinese crowd of over 35,000 was overwhelmingly in North Korea's favour but it was Japan who took the lead in the 10th minute.

Yuzuki Yamamoto sliced through the Korean defence with a superb cross-field ball and Yoshino Nakashima hit it first time from outside the box past onrushing goalkeeper Kim Un Hui.

North Korea's An Myong Song was stretchered off with an injury midway through the first half but her team continued to press and Hong Song Ok went close with a shot from distance.

Remina Chiba should have made it two for Japan with a header soon after and North Korea made them pay with the equaliser.

Wi Jong Sim put in a low cross that Japan hesitated to deal with, and Kim Kyong Yong pounced to slam the ball past goalkeeper Natsumi Asano.

North Korea started the second half strongly but Haruka Osawa headed Japan back into the lead in the 66th minute with a header direct from a corner.

Momoko Tanikawa made it three with a shot from the edge of the box that goalkeeper Kim should have dealt with.

Chiba then added an exclamation point after raiding down the left and finishing across the keeper.

China took the bronze medal after thrashing Uzbekistan 7-0.