DPR Korea preparing for EAFF Championship

DPR Korea are preparing for EAFF Championship and Asian Cup .

They will be playing a friendly against Kuwait on October in Dubai  31 and one against Qatar on November 6.

EAFF Championship  Second round will be played in Taipei City from November 13 :

November 13 : Hong kong vs DPR Korea

November 16 : Guam vs DPR Korea

November 19 : Chinese Taipei vs DPR Korea

AFC U-19 : Japan 1-1 DPR Korea (AET 4-5 pens)

DPR Korea advanced to the semi-finals of the AFC U-19 Championship after edging out Japan 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Friday's quarter-final at Wunna Theikdi Stadium.

With chances at a premium during a hard-fought contest, Kim Kuk-chol's header on 37 minutes appeared to have secured victory for the Koreans only for Japan captain Takumi Minamino to equalise with eight minutes remaining from the spot.
But with goalkeeper Cha Jong-hun then saving the decisive penalty from the same player in the shootout, three-time champions DPR Korea will now travel to Yangon ahead of Monday's semi-finals, with An Ye-gun's side also securing a return to the FIFA U-20 World Cup next year for their third appearance at the finals.
Both teams made just one change from their final group stage ties on Tuesday with Japan forward Ado Onaiwu getting his first start in place of Kohya Kitagawa, while Jon Kum-dong returned to DPR Korea's backline after missing out against Oman and Iraq.
And it was the Koreans who almost opened the match in explosive fashion as Kim Yu-song forced his way into the penalty area in the second minute only to see his toe-poked effort blocked by a spread-eagled jumping block from Japan goalkeeper Kosuke Nakamura.
The danger was not averted, though, as the rebound fell to Jin Il-sok, but the forward's low shot was stopped this time by a more orthodox low save from Nakamura, diving low to his right.
Japan's riposte nearly resulted in the opener, however, as on 11 minutes Yosuke Ideguchi's free-kick from 25-yards-out swerved around the DPR Korea wall and clattered the foot of the right-hand post with custodian Cha Jong-hun beaten.
Onaiwu then missed two good chances after being played in by first Shota Kaneko and later Takumi Minamino as Japan enjoyed the lion's share of possession.
Nakamura was then called into action once again in spectacular style after the half-hour mark as he pulled off an outstanding reaction save from Kang Nam-gwon's shot from just 10 yards out following a free-kick that was not dealt with by the Japan defence.
But the warning went unheeded and the subsequent corner caused panic again amongst the blue-clad ranks, with the ball eventually coming out to Kang on the right flank and the midfielder's cross found Kim Kuk-chol at the back-post to head home.
Japan coach Masakazu Suzuki freshened up his front line at half-time in an attempt to restore parity with Kitagawa coming on to replace Onaiwu.
Despite the switch in attack, the Samurai Blue struggled to penetrate the Korean backline until the 72nd minute as Ideguchi's free-kick found a leaping Kaneko who turned his header onto the post, with Minamino unable to reach the rebound as it rolled along the six-yard box.
But with eight minutes remaining, tricky winger Kaneko danced into the penalty area from the left-flank and had his feet taken out from under him as he looked to pull the trigger.
And Minamino duly punished the infraction in ruthless fashion, slamming the resulting penalty-kick past Cha into the bottom left-hand corner to draw the sides level.
The remaining minutes of regulation time, nor the additional half-hour of extra-time, could bring further changes to the score line and the match went to penalties.
The first eight spot-kicks were a veritable penalty-taking clinic with both sides tied 4-4 going into the decisive round.
But after Jo Sol-song blasted home their fifth kick to extend their perfect record, Minamino's effort was saved by a flying save to his right from Cha to seal victory and break Japan hearts.

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AFC U-19 Championship : DPR Korea 2-1 Iraq

Nay Pyi Taw: Goals from Jo Kwang-myong and Kim Yu-song took three-times champions DPR Korea through to the quarter-finals of the AFC U-19 Championship at the expense of 2012 finalists Iraq, who were downed 2-1 by the East Asians in the Group D finale on Tuesday.

Although Iraq needed just a point from the game at Wunna Theikdi Stadium to advance to the knockout stages, they were rocked by Jo's 50th minute opener, an advantage which was then doubled by strike-partner So 11 minutes later, and it was a deficit that proved too difficult to overcome for the five-time champions despite Alaa Mhawi's late stoppage-time goal.

The Koreans' reward as group runners-up will be a meeting with Japan in Friday's quarter-final in Nay Pyi Taw, while Group D winners Qatar, having defeated Oman 2-0 in Yangon in the day's other game, will now face Group C runners-up China.

"There was no way out for us today, we had to win, there was no other option, so that's why the players were so mentally strong today," said DPR Korea coach An Ye-gun, who was relieved to see his squad finally over the travel fatigue from travelling from Pyeongyang to Nay Pyi Taw.

"This was a match also about physical conditioning. Today I could finally see that the players were recovered from their travel tiredness, and I could see during the match that Iraq's players were not physically in good shape for this game – that's why we could win."

With DPR Korea requiring all three points the young Chollima were on the offensive in the opening quarter of an hour, albeit without truly testing Iraq goalkeeper Hayder Al Abedi.

Instead, the first meaningful action came at the other end on 16 minutes as Cha Jong-hun had to be alert to fist away Bashar Resan's 16th minute free-kick with Emad Mohsin lurking dangerously on the off-chance of a fumble by the DPR Korea custodian.

And with Iraq's best moments coming from set-pieces, Mohammed Khalid than floated an in-swinging free-kick over the crossbar six minutes later before Resan's second dead-ball effort of the afternoon shortly after the half-hour mark whistled narrowly wide of the left-hand upright.

But following the interval, the game just needed five minutes to have the deadlock broken as from Kim's cut-back from the right flank, Jo found himself with both time and space by the penalty spot to drive a low shot past Al Abedi for his second goal in two games.

It got even worse for the West Asians two minutes past the hour-mark, as once again haphazard defending saw Kim latch on to Ri Un-chol pass and this time the provider turned finisher as he coolly placed the ball into the bottom left-hand corner to leave Iraq with a mountain to climb.

Resan then had a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit, but after slaloming through the Korean backline his initial shot from close-range was blocked, before he lifted the follow-up high over the crossbar from less than six yards out.

Iraq did pull a goal back deep into added time through Alaa Mhawi but it was too little, too late and with their 2012 final opponents Korea Republic also being eliminated yesterday, the tournament will have a brand new pairing in this year's championship climax.

"Although I intended to change the team, I saw that the other players yesterday were not ready for the game, so I started the same 10 players I have used throughout the tournament," said Iraq coach Abdulraheem Hameed.

"But we did not play well today and, unfortunately, the players lost concentration in defence at crucial moments in the game."

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Asian Games Men - Korea Republic crowned champions

Incheon: Korea Republic won the gold medal at the 17th Asian Games on Thursday after claiming a 1-0 extra-time win over DPR Korea in the final at the Incheon Munhak Stadium.

In a keenly-contested clash that saw both sides struggle to carve out any real scoring chances, the game went into extra-time following a goalless 90 minutes.

And with neither team able to find the breakthrough for most of the additional half-hour, it looked as though it would take the dreaded penalty shootout to decide the winner.

However, in the 121st minute, DPR Korea keeper Ri Myong-guk flapped at a corner and although Lee Yong-jae's initial effort was cleared off the line, Rim Chang-woo was on hand to blast home the loose ball and win it for the South Koreans.

The triumph meant that Korea Republic have now been crowned outright champions of the Asian Games twice following their previous win in 2002, while they shared the gold medal with Burma – now known as Myanmar – and the North Koreans in 1970 and 1978 respectively.

Meanwhile, Iraq claimed the bronze medal after defeating Thailand 1-0 in the third-place playoff at the Incheon Football Stadium.

The only goal of the game arrived three minutes after the hour mark, when Ali Adnan's out-swinging corner was met by Younis Mahmoud with an unstoppable header past Kawin Thamsatchanan.

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Asian Games Men : DPR Korea, Korea Republic set for final

Incheon: Korea Republic booked their place in the final of the 17th Asian Games on Tuesday after recording a 2-0 win over Thailand in the semi-finals.

The hosts edged ahead at the Incheon Munhak Stadium in the 41st minute when Rim Chang-woo’s right-wing cross found Lee Jong-ho, who clinically glanced a header in off the post.

And right on the stroke of halftime, the South Koreans were awarded a penalty after Lee Jae-sung was clipped by Narubodin Weerawatnodom and the offence was adjudged to have occurred inside the area.

Jang Hyun-soo stepped up to the spot and made no mistake in firing past Kawim Thamsatchanan from 12 yards, which was enough to seal the victory for his side.

The other side through to the final are DPR Korea, who needed extra-time to defeat Iraq 1-0 at the Incheon Football Stadium.

After neither sides were able to break the deadlock in regulation time, the North Koreans finally took the lead in the 96th minute when Jong Il-gwan lined up a freekick on the edge of the box and curled a lovely effort past Mohammed Hameed Farhan.

However, Jong turned from hero to villain when he was sent off eight minutes later for a second bookable offence, although DPR Korea were able to hold out for the remainder of the contest and claim the win.

The final will take place at the Incheon Munhak Stadium on Thursday evening, while the bronze medal match between Thailand and the Iraqis will also be held earlier that day.

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Asian Games Women : DPR Korea down Japan to win gold

Incheon: DPR Korea won the gold medal at the 17th Asian Games on Wednesday after recording a 3-1 win over defending champions Japan at the Incheon Munhak Stadium.

Kim Yun-mi got the North Koreans off to a dream start after 12 minutes when she reacted quickest to pounce on a loose ball inside the box, and clinically stroked a shot into the bottom corner.

And seven minutes after half-time, it was 2-0 as Ra Un-sim got in behind the opposition defence and advanced into the box before firing past Ayumi Kaihori.

Japan gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Aya Miyama pulled one back in the 55th minute; meeting Megumi Takase's low cross with a first-time effort into the back of the net.

But three minutes from time, a sweeping counterattack initiated by Jon Myong-hwa saw her release Yun Song-mi down the left, and her looping delivery into the area was emphatically headed home by Ho Un-byol to seal the gold medal for DPR Korea.

Meanwhile, Korea Republic claimed the bronze medal after defeating Vietnam 3-0 at the Incheon Football Stadium.

Following a goalless first half, Kwon Han-eul fired the South Koreans ahead in the 55th minute, before further strikes by Jung Seol-bin (57') and Park Hee-young (67') put the result beyond doubt.

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