Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Melbourne: National pride, rather than individual glory, is on the line for DPR Korea at the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 according to Europe-based striker Pak Kwang-ryong.
Former semi-finalists DPR Korea are making their second consecutive appearance at the continental championship as the winners of back-to-back editions of the AFC Challenge Cup in 2010 and 2012.
And while Pak has experienced playing in Europe’s UEFA Champions League for Swiss side FC Basel, the striker has different motivations when playing in the shirt of his homeland.
“To play in the UEFA Champions League is a lot of fame and glory for the player because he is recognised and his team is recognised, but I am here as a national team player and it is for the people and for the nation and it is such responsibility,” said 22-year-old Pak, speaking in English having moved to Switzerland with FC Wil 1900 in 2011.
“In the beginning everything was not familiar and the players were playing a different style of football. But day by day and month by month I got used to the way of life and style of football. I began to overcome the language, players became my friends and the coach gave me a lot of assistance in educating me in the style of football.”
Pak is currently on loan at Liechtenstein’s FC Vaduz in the Swiss top-flight having scored nine goals in 18 games in 2013/14 as the side won the second division.
The striker, though, has so far been unable to recreate that form in the Swiss Super League this season, and that dry spell in front of goal continued on Saturday as DPR Korea’s AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 campaign began with a 1-0 defeat by 2011 semi-finalists Uzbekistan in Sydney.
But DPR Korea will still look to the tall striker to rediscover his scoring boots against Saudi Arabia in Melbourne on Wednesday with both sides in need of a win to keep their respective campaigns alive following identical 1-0 opening-day defeats in Group B last weekend.
“I am feeling very good and I think our team is ready, and of course we will do our best,” added Pak, who scored twice as DPR Korea won the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup to qualify for this month’s tournament in Australia.
“There were many reasons for the defeat against Uzbekistan with the weather and I think our condition was not at 100 per cent. It was also the first game and there was a lot of stress.”
DPR Korea will hope for a positive result against Saudi Arabia with Jo Tong-sop’s side set to round off their group stage campaign against China in Canberra on Sunday.
“Saudi Arabia, China and Uzbekistan are all strong teams and also our team is also not so weak, and if we do our best, we can get a good result,” said Pak.