The Hindu : North Korea beats Japan, enters final

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 20, 2003

Sport

Sport - Football

North Korea beats Japan, enters final

BANGKOK JUNE 19. Defending champion North Korea booked a place in the final of the AFC women's championship, defeating Japan 3-0 on Thursday in a semifinal match.

The victory means the North Koreans have also qualified for the women's World Cup later this year, irrespective of whether they triumph in the final on Saturday against the victor of the second semifinal between South Korea and China.

In a repeat of the 2001 final, which North Korea won 2-0, the champions stifled Japan's duo of strikers, Mio Otani and Homare Sawa, and dominated their midfield trio of Tomomi Miyamoto, Yayoi Kobayashi and Tomoe Sakai.

Japan, lining up in 3-5-2 formation, should have had a numerical advantage in midfield: North Korea played 4-4-2.

But with striker Ri Kum-suk dropping back into midfield when required and wide midfielders O Kum-ran and Yun Yong-hui pushing down the flanks, Japan was simply outfought in the key battles.

North Korea took the lead after seven minutes. Striker Jin Pyol-hui was released down the right and delivered a pinpoint cross to striking partner Ri Kum-suk who stole in front of her marker to power a header into the bottom right-hand corner from eight yards out.

Ri Kum-suk doubled North Korea's lead 10 minutes before halftime, scoring her 13th goal of the tournament.

Yun yong-hui placed a low cross from the corner flag. Jin stepped over it, allowing Ri to apply the finishing touch with a first-time left-foot shot to the keeper's right.

In the second half, Japan occasionally threatened but failed to get past captain Yun Il-sil and Kim Hwa-song in the centre of North Korea's defence.

After 51 minutes, Japan had the first real chance to score when Emi Yamamoto broke down the right into the box but she couldn't get enough purchase on her cross and Ri Jong-hui took control at the near post.

Despite the lead, the Koreans pushed forward. But the crossbar intervened to deny Jin Pyol-hui a headed goal in the 68th minute. With seven minutes to go, the third came when Jang Ok-Gyong's corner was headed in at the near post for an own goal by Yayoi Kobayashi.

``We are very pleased to qualify for the World Cup,'' said the Korean coach Ri Song-gun after the game. ``We will do our best to improve over the coming months so that we can show the full strength of Asian football to the world.''

Japan coach Eiji Ueda said he was disappointed with the loss but must now look ahead to Saturday's game for third place.

``In my opinion, the differences between these two teams are not as much as they once were,'' he said.

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