30 May 2010

North Korea Women`s NT lose AFC finals

Chengdu: Australia won the AFC Women's Asian Cup for the first time in their history on Sunday after beating DPR Korea 6-5 on penalties following a tense 1-1 draw at Chengdu Sports Centre.

The Matildas took the lead in the 18th minute through Sam Kerr but defending champions DPR Korea equalised in the 72nd minute through Jo Yun-mi to send the game to extra time.

And after 120 minutes could not separate the two sides, Yu Song-mi's missed spot kick proved crucial with Australia 100% from 12 yards in the shootout.

The-afc

Nigeria To Play North Korea In Tembisa

Nigeria and North Korea will clash in a World Cup warm-up match at the Makhulong Stadium, Tembisa, on the outskirts of Johannesburg following the approval of the world football governing body FIFA.

MTN Football

Match will be played on 6. June and is North Korea last friendly.

29 May 2010

North Korea - Brazil match is sold out !




North Korea`s first match in World Cup against Brazil has been sold out.

Match is played in Ellis Park Stadium , Johannesburg on 15. June. Capacity is around 61000.

Second match against Portugal is sold out in 3 of 4 categories, only the most expensive tickets is left.



FIFA ticket info

North Korea short of players

North Korea have asked for their World Cup warm-up friendly against Democratic Republic of Congo to be cancelled because they have a lot of injured players.

The game was scheduled to be played in Tyrol, Austria, in preparation for North Korea's campaign in South Africa.

Kickoff

28 May 2010

DR Congo friendly is cancelled !

The friendly match against Dr Congo that was scheduled for Austria tomorrow after beeing moved from Geneva, Switzerland has now been cancelled.

North Korea has told that the match has been cancelled because of injuries.


Link

Another link from DR Congo

27 May 2010

DR Congo friendly moved ?

North Korea is scheduled to meet DR Congo on Saturday in Geneva , but venue is not known. I got a email from a man in Geneva who asked me where they are playing because he been searching and could not find the venue.

It could be possible that this match has been moved to a stadium near Geneva or even to Austria where North Korea played against Greece on 25 th ?

North Korea Women`s NT ready for World Cup !

Chengdu: Kim Kyong-hwa scored in extra-time as DPR Korea kept alive their hopes of staging a successful AFC Women's Asian Cup title defence after edging out hosts China 1-0 after a gruelling encounter at Chengdu Sports Centre on Thursday.

Chances were at a premium throughout as both sides cancelled each other
out and it came as no surprise as 90 minutes failed to find a winner.

But finally, with both teams visibly tired, Kim fired home in the 107th minute to send DPR Korea through to Sunday's final against Australia.

Match report

North Korea Football Blog

My North Korea football blog had new record of unique visitors yesterday (89) and more visit my blog every day . I try to update my blog daily with anything that is related to football in North Korea.

I got a email from Ian about Congo DR match but it was lost in my junk box, please try again !

My email for questions or inquiries is : joki20@hotmail.com or leave a comment in my blog.

jonny

Meet NKorean fan club

BEIJING - NORTH KOREANS will be prevented from travelling to South Africa next month to cheer on their World Cup team because of the reclusive and paranoid ways of their country's leader Kim Jong Il.

But a growing number of international soccer fans are pledging their support to one of the competition's underdogs, who take on powerhouses Brazil and Portugal, as well as Ivory Coast. 'The North Korea national team is not known for its travelling 'Barmy Army' of soccer fans, for obvious reasons,' says Simon Cockerell, a Beijing-based Briton who is spearheading the North Korea Football Supporters Association.

'We want to get as many people as possible to cheer on the Chollimas.' So far Mr Cockerell has mustered a 300-strong eclectic band of dedicated soccer fans from across the world to back Pyongyang's finest. He has also set up a Facebook page.

Straits Times

Vendors Leave No Shirt Unturned Seeking North Korean Soccer Duds

"Richard Smith wants to start selling the official soccer jersey of the world's most secretive totalitarian regime before the World Cup tournament begins June 11.

He isn't optimistic.

Hawking the soccer jerseys of all 32 World Cup teams competing in South Africa this year is a point of pride for Mr. Smith, the managing director of Subside SportsLtd., an apparel seller in Exeter, England.

To do that, he and his fellow sports merchandisers must find North Korea's soccer shirt. They've initiated the equivalent of a world-wide Easter egg hunt, talking to apparel makers from Mexico to China."

"After spending months on the puzzle, Mr. Smith finally solved part of it earlier this month. A contact in Asia informed him that the North Koreans had struck a deal with Legea SRL, an Italian company. But Mr. Smith still isn't sure his firm can order the jerseys before the Cup begins.

Lorenzo Grimaldi, Legea's marketing manager, confirmed that it has the North Korean contract. He said it struck the deal in Pompei, Italy, in early February, which predates the negotiations between Pirma and the North Koreans.

Legea wants the exposure of having jerseys with its logo shown on TV all over the world. So it is paying for the costs of producing the jerseys and other official attire worn by the North Korean team.

Getting the jersey to the market in time for the tournament has proved tough. The North Koreans wanted a "personalized" design for their jersey, including fabrics that were "off the catalog," Mr. Grimaldi recalls. "

More : link

Next friendly against DR Congo

Next friendly for North Korea is against DR Congo on 29. May in Geneva. Honduras has confirmed that they are not playing North Korea as previously reported.

DR Congo lost 0-2 to Saudi Arabia in Austria on 22. May.

25 May 2010

Greece - North Korea 2-2

ALTACH, Austria (AP)—Jong Tae-se scored a goal in each half Tuesday as North Korea twice rallied to hold Greece to a 2-2 draw in a World Cup warmup game.

Costas Katsouranis gave Greece the lead in the second minute, tapping home after receiving a headed pass from Sotiris Kyrgiakos.

The Koreans leveled when Jong who eluded two players before drilling the ball past goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis in the 23rd minute.

Greek substitute Angelos Charisteas made it 2-1 in the 49th minute. But Jong replied three minutes later, sprinting down the right past defender Nikos Spiropoulos before beating substitute keeper Alexandros Tzorvas.

Tzorvas cleared a powerful shot from Cha Jong-hyok in the 72nd.



Line-up

Greece - North Korea today

Greece - North Korea friendly in Altach, Austria

Matchstart at 20.00, CET

Livestream

bet365.com have livestream , you have to register but no payment and normally good livestream

24 May 2010

North Korea lost to Japan

North Korea Women`s NT lost 1-2 to Japan and will be playing semifinals against China in AFC Women's Asian Cup in China.

Three teams will qualify for World Cup.

22 May 2010

North Korea - Myanmar 2-0

Chengdu: Defending champions DPR Korea joined Australia and Japan in the semi-finals of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2010 after downing Myanmar 2-0 at Chengdu Sports Centre on Saturday.

Match report

20 May 2010

North Korea women`s NT win against Thailand

Chengdu: Defending champions DPR Korea underlined their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2010 title credentials with a comfortable 3-0 win over Thailand at a misty Chengdu Sports Centre on Thursday.

Match report

Match summary

19 May 2010

Kim Has confidence in Korea`s young guns

Chengdu: Coach Kim Kwang-min believes his new, youthful squad can continue DPR Korea's recent domination of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup by kicking off their 2010 title defence with victory over Thailand in Group A at Chengdu Sports Centre on Thursday.

Asia's joint top-ranked team alongside Japan have won three of the last four editions to turn the tide of superiority in Asia away from China - who prevailed in 2006 - but Kim's newly-moulded squad only contains a handful of players from the successful 2008 campaign in Vietnam.

For DPR Korea, who recently lost 3-2 to Australia before drawing 2-2 with the Matildas, only 27-year-old striker Kim Yong-ae and midfielder Kim Kyong-hwa, 24, remain from the starting 11 who beat China 2-1 in Ho Chi Minh City in 2008.

“This is the third time for me as head coach and we have won the competition three times and our aim is to be champions again. We will do our best to be champions” said Kim Kwang-min.

“Even though we have a lot of new footballers, this means there is less pressure on them. We lost to Australia but this was only part of the preparation.

“Thailand is a good opponent but they are also a good team to play in the first game.”

Skipper Kim Yong-ae scored the winner in the final two years ago as DPR Korea, who are ranked fifth in the world, came from behind to follow up their back-to-back success in 2001 and 2003.

“We will try our best to meet the expectation of the Korean people and we look forward to going home with the cup,” said the DPR Korea captain.

The-afc

17 May 2010

Greece Friendly on 25. May




North Korea - Greece

Date : 25. May
Time : 20.00

Place : Cashpoint Arena , Altach, Austria
Capacity : 8500

Tickets

16 May 2010

Honduras friendly (?) / Upcoming friendlies

UNCAF website report that Honduras will play a friendly against North Korea on 29. May. Honduras got 3 other friendlies in Austria. If this is correct North Korea friendly against DR Congo on 29. May is cancelled or moved.

North Korea friendly against Nigeria is moved from 4. June to 6. June and will be played in Johannesburg , South Africa.

Upcoming friendlies :

25. May North Korea - Greece , in ALTACH, Austria (Cashpoint Arena)

29. May North Korea - Honduras , Austria (?)

6. June North Korea - Nigeria in Johannesburg, South Africa

Highlights Paraguay - North Korea

15 May 2010

Paraguay beat North Korea

NYON, Switzerland (AP)—A late penalty converted by Roque Santa Cruz gave Paraguay a 1-0 win against North Korea in the teams’ first warmup match for the World Cup on Saturday.

Santa Cruz struck his spot kick high to the left of goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk in the 86th minute, after substitute Nam Song Chol was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball.

Paraguay hit a post twice in a seven-minute spell midway through the second half after the Koreans impressed in the first period.


Choe Kum Chol had North Korea’s best chance in the 35th but lifted his shot over the bar.

North Korea lined up with a five-man defensive line but soon showed it could break quickly by passing neatly.

Mun In Guk’s cross created confusion in the Paraguay penalty area in the eight minute, but Ji Yun Nam took too long to shoot and his effort was charged down.

Paraguay came close in the 25th minute with a 30-meter (yard) shot by Aureliano Torres that tall Korean ‘keeper Ri tipped over.

North Korea had a clear chance 10 minutes later, created by a deft pass by captain Hong Yong Jo, its only Europe-based player, with Russian club Rostov.

Choe Kum Chol chipped his shot over onrushing goalkeeeper Diego Barreto but also cleared the bar.

Paraguay played a more expansive game after the break and twice struck the post.

In the 60th minute, Marcelo Estigarribia’s left-foot drive struck the outside of the post after he was played in by Enrique Vera.

Seven minutes later, Eduardo Ledesma beat Ri’s dive with a crossshot on the run but the ball clipped the frame of goal.

Paraguay got the goal it deserved after Swiss referee Carlo Bertolini pointed to the spot, penalizing Chol for handball with no attacker nearby and no apparent appeal from the South Americans.

North Korea was without its Japan-based pair An Yong Hak and Jong Tae Se, who were not with the squad.

Stade de Colovray



Stadium for friendly match against Paraguay.


More pics

Centre Sportif de Colovray Nyon is where FC Stade Nyonnais play their home Football and Rugby games, the site is opposite the UEFA headquarters. The centre has 6 pitches for different things and hosts a variety of activities, Football, Rugby and Athletics.

Surface Area: 100,000+ square meters

The record attendance for the ground is 6,800 against Real Madrid in 2001.

The centre covers more than 100,000 square meters and has 6 fields:

1. All weather Pitch
2. Grass Football Pitch
3. Football Training Pitch
4. Rugby Pitch
5. Stadium Pitch
6. Athletics Stadium - With Capacity for 900 Seats
In 2008, for the EURO 2008, Turkey had their base camp at this ground.

In June 2009, the ground hosted the Under - 17 Women's Euro Championship. With Germany and Spain reaching the final.

Source Wikipedia

14 May 2010

Paraguay match moved (again...)




The friendly match against Paraguay tomorrow has been moved again to Stade de Colovray ,NYON , Switzerland.

The match will be played at 17.00 local time. No news about livestream.

ABC Color

13 May 2010

North Korea Team for World Cup

The official 23 players list for World Cup :

Some surprises here , just 3 foreign based players on the list :

An Yong Hak (Omiya Ardija, Japan)
Jong Tae Se (Kawasaki Frontale, Japan)
Hong Young Ho (FK Rostov,Russia)

Only 23 players on the list , other nations have chosen to give a list of 30 players that will be reduced to 23 on 1. June.

FIFA official list

North Korea squad: Kim Myong Gil (Amrokgang), Kim Myong Won (Amrokgang), Ri Myong Guk (Pyongyang City), An Chol Hyok (Rimyongsu), An Yong Hak (Omiya Ardija), Cha Jong Hyok (Amrokgang), Choe Kum Chol (April 25), Hong Yong Jo (FK Rostov), Ji Yun Nam (April 25), Jong Tae Se (Kawasaki Frontale), Kim Kum Il (April 25), Kim Kyong Il (Rimyongsu), Kim Yong Jun (Pyongyang City), Mun In Guk (April 25), Nam Song Chol (April 25), Pak Chol Jin (Amrokgang), Pak Nam Chol (April 25), Pak Nam Chol (Amrokgang), Pak Sung Hyok (Sobaeksu), Ri Chol Myong (Pyongyang City), Ri Jun Il (Sobaeksu), Ri Kwang Chon (April 25), Ri Kwang Hyok (Kyonggongop).

12 May 2010

Paraguay match moved

The match against Paraguay on 15. May has been moved from Saviese to Lausanne in Switzerland.

ADN.es

11 May 2010

J-Leaguers to power Korea DPR

-League striker Jong Tae-Se, nicknamed "Asia's Wayne Rooney", will lead a contingent of three Japan-born ethnic Koreans to boost Korea DPR's 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ bid.

The two others, also J-League players, Omiya Ardija midfielder Ahn Yong-Hak and Vegalta Sendai midfielder Ryang Yong-Gi, affiliated to Korea DPR's national FA said Tuesday.

Jong of Kawasaki Frontale and Ahn helped the nation qualify for their second world finals - the first in 44 years since they upset Italy with a single-goal victory to reach the quarter-finals in England.

Korea DPR coach Kim Jong-Hun has set his initial target at a quarter-final spot in South Africa although his country is locked in a tough group with five-time champions Brazil, Portugal and CĂŽte d'Ivoire. "We're brimming with confidence. We're much stronger than before," Kim told the Tokyo-based ethnic Korean daily Choson Sinbo before his team, minus the J-Leaguers, left Pyongyang on Saturday for pre-finals training in Europe. "The first goal for us is to make it to the quarter-finals. We will put on strong fights against any football powers," he added.

More : FIFA website

09 May 2010

North Korean team set off for World Cup in South Africa

North Korea's national football team has set off for South Africa ahead of the World Cup tournament there in June.

The country's vice premier Kwak Bom Gi joined the crowds at Pyongyang airport in the capital city to see off the players and coaching staff.

Video from BBC

08 May 2010

North Korean World Cup Song



Comment : the unofficial North Korea World Cup song...

Colorful send-off as NKorean team departs for WCup

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)—North Korea’s national soccer players received a festive send-off as they head abroad to train for their first World Cup in 44 years.

Broadcaster APTN in Pyongyang reported Saturday that residents waved North Korean flags outside the airport as the players arrived. Footage showed women waving flowers as the team boarded the plane.

Coach Kim Jong Hun is promising “a great success.” He declined to say whether the team would be heading to Zimbabwe.

The team had been planning to train in Zimbabwe but activists there have vowed to protest the North Korean visit. Many are still angry that North Korean troops trained the Zimbabwean soldiers accused of killing tens of thousands to quell an uprising in the 1980s.

06 May 2010

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup - Draw

The official draw for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago took place at the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Port of Spain on Wednesday 5 May, throwing up a number of intriguing match-ups for the group stages. The tournament will open with a clash between Trinidad and Tobago and Chile on 5 September at the Hasely Crawford stadium in Port of Spain.

The teams were drawn into the following groups:

Group A: Trinidad and Tobago, Chile, Nigeria, Korea DPR

Group B: UEFA 3, Mexico, CAF 3 (Tunisia or South Africa), Korea Republic

Group C: New Zealand, Venezuela, UEFA 1, Japan

Group D: UEFA 2, Brazil, Canada, Ghana

FIFA website

North Korea Women`s NT beat Nigeria

PYONGYANG, May 5 (AP) - (Kyodo)—North Korea beat Nigeria 3-0 on Wednesday in Pyongyang in a warm-up match ahead of the 2010 Asian Women's Football Championship slated for late May in China.
In their first game against Nigeria on Sunday, North Korea also won 1- 0.

Breitbart

03 May 2010

North Korea`s friendly matches

15.May North Korea - Paraguay in Saviese, Switzerland

25.May North Korea - Greece in Altach , Austria

29.May North Korea - Congo DR in Geneva , Switzerland

4.June North Korea - Nigeria in South Africa (TBC)

02 May 2010

North Korea friendly against DR Congo ?

DR Congo football forum report that North Korea will play DR Congo in Geneva on 29. May. If this is correct the training camp in Zimbabwe have been dropped.

Leopardsfoot.com

North Korea have already a scheduled match against Paraguay in Geneva on 15.May , and a match against Greece on 25. May.

The match against Greece will be played in PIRAEUS , Greece according to fifa.com , but futbolplanet.de report the match will be played in ALTACH, Austria