The Hindu : Sport : DPR Korea through to quarterfinals

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Friday, Nov 03, 2006
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DPR Korea through to quarterfinals

Principal Correspondent

Pips Iran on basis of better goal difference

PHOTO: G.P. SAMPATH KUMAR

GOALMOUTH SCRAMBLE: Japan's Aoki Kota (left) and Iran custodian Haghighi battle for possession.

BANGALORE: Iran stunned favourite Japan with a come from behind 2-1 victory but still had tears at the end as DPR Korea, with a 92nd minute goal against Tajikistan, made the quarterfinals from Group C on better goal difference in the AFC Youth Championship, played at two venues simultaneously here on Thursday.

Desperation in the Korean ranks was apparent and in the process they only fumbled at the goalmouth time and again. DPR Korea's joy knew no bounds when in the second minute of injury time Chol Min Pak nodded home to fetch his team its second straight win and a quarterfinal berth.

Tajikistan, which crashed to its third loss in the group, posed a few problems for the Korean defence, but none of it spelt danger. The second half saw the Koreans up their game a few notches. Chol Min Jong, though not fully fit, came about a with few essays which captain Kum Il Kim and Pak failed to capitalise on. Tajikistan custodian Abdunziz Mahikamov also came to his side's rescue on a couple of times.

With time running out, the urgency from the Koreans was understandable. All that changed in the 92nd minute as Pak made amends with a timely jump to meet a cross from the right by Chol Min Jong, which bounced just in front of Mahikamov.

DPR Korea, Japan and Iran all finished with six points from three matches (two wins and a defeat each) but Japan with a plus 5 and DPR Korea with a plus four goal difference advanced to the next round.

Delight and despair

Meanwhile it was delight followed by despair for Iran. As the exultant Iranian players returned to their bench after defeating Japan 2-1, they heard about DPR Korea's victory and soon the smiles vanished and tears flowed unabated.

Japan had its moment in the 21st minute as Tsukasa Umesaki ran upfront, latched onto Yosuke's pass from the centre and slipped one past Iranian custodian Haghighi. Iran made amends in the second half as its forward-line showed better cohesion.

Equaliser

And in the 52nd minute, Shahram Goudarzi weaved in from the right but found his right footer bouncing off the right pole. However, the rebound was slotted home by Kamaleddin for the equaliser.

Iran shifted gears and in the 72nd minute, a nearly improbable goal emerged. Farhad Alkhamis found a loose ball bouncing off a midfield skirmish and his header sailed high, swirled a bit in the air and beat an advancing Japanese goalkeeper Hayashi Akihiro to bulge the net.

The results: Iran 2 (K. Kamaleddin, Farhad Alkhamis) bt Japan 1 (Tsukasa Umesaki); DPR Korea 1 (Chol Min Pak) bt Tajikistan 0.

Wednesday's results: At Bangalore: Iraq 3 (Usama Muhammad, Ala'a Khshen 2) bt Vietnam 1 (Van Khai Nguyen).

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