Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Nanjing: A wonderfully effective DPR Korea rounded out their group-stage campaign in style, beating host nation China PR 2-0 to finish on top of Group A on Saturday– ensuring they will enter the AFC U-19 Women’s Championship semi-finals full of confidence.
First half goals from An Song-ok and Ri Hae-yon secured the win, as the world U-17 and U-20 women’s champions notched up their sixth consecutive victory over China in the tournament, and made themselves the only team in Nanjing to navigate the group stage without conceding a goal
The match brought together the only two foreign coaches in the tournament, with DPR Korea’s Thomas Gerstner and China’s Hesterine de Reus – born 450 kilometres apart in Europe – taking charge of neighbouring countries on the other side of the world.
China hadn’t tasted victory against DPR Korea at the AFC-19 Women’s Championship in 11 years, and hadn’t scored against them in 10, and within three minutes they fell into a familiar position.
Deployed on the right-wing, An could scarcely believe her luck as the Chinese defence completely opened up, allowing her to stroll in and slam the ball past an exposed Peng Shimeng.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/dprkoreas_twos.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/china_dprkorea.html
