Colombo: FC HTTU coach Rowshen Meredov is determined to emerge victorious in Friday’s AFC President Cup final over Rimyongsu Club and end the series of defeats suffered by the Turkmen against DPR Korean sides in AFC championship deciders.

In both the 2010 and 2012 AFC Challenge Cup finals, the Turkmenistan national team came within minutes of victory against DPR Korea at the tournament’s climax, but a penalty shootout and a goal three minutes from time twice denied Meredov’s nation a place in the AFC Asian Cup.

And despite having claimed top spot in Group A to advance to the 2014 AFC President’s Cup final with consecutive victories over Nepal’s Manang Marshyangdi Club and hosts Sri Lanka Air Force SC, the hoodoo the Koreans hold over the Turkmen is one that still weighs heavy on the FC HTTU coach’s mind.

“Yes, we have some football history between our two nations, and I hope that this third time we face each other we can break this pattern of defeats, because our aim is to win this cup not just play in the final,” said coach Meredov (pictured), who had seen his side share a 1-1 draw with Rimyongsu in the final stage qualifiers in the Philippines in May.

“The match we played each other before was very tough and we both had chances in that game, so I’m expecting another difficult contest with Rimyongsu.

“We are also struggling with several injuries, we have a least five first-choice players with injuries. My medical staff is working hard and two of those players may be fit in time, but we’re still not sure. We’ll have to see on match day.

“Despite this, though, all the players in my squad are important and I know they will satisfy me with their performances so we’ll do our best.”

Rimyongsu coach Jo Tong-sop, meanwhile, will find himself in familiar surrounds on Friday, as it was from the same dugout at Colombo’s Sugathadasa Stadium that he helmed DPR Korea to their historic 2010 AFC Challenge Cup victory over Turkmenistan.

Adding to the sense of déjà vu is the presence in the Rimyongsu ranks of Ju Kwang-min, Pak Song-chol, Ri Chol-myong and Ri Kwang-hyok who were members of DPR Korea’s squad in the 2010 final, and former national team coach Jo is relishing the return to the scene of their triumph.
“Our progress in this tournament has been quite similar to the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup as we also drew 1-1 with Turkmenistan in the group stages in that tournament before facing them in the final which we won,” said coach Jo, who saw his Rimyongsu side comfortably top Group B to reach the last-ever AFC President’s Cup final after they followed up Monday’s 5-0 drubbing of Mongolian champions FC Erchim with a 4-0 victory against Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Limited of Bangladesh on Wednesday.

“We were given a lot more confidence ahead of the final against FC HTTU as a result of our two comfortable victories over Erchim and Sheikh Russel, this really helped to boost the morale and belief of the players.

“We know that the Turkmenistan team is certainly very strong in physical terms, and that’s something we’ll have to be aware of, but we’re feeling very optimistic about Friday’s final.”

The AFC Presidents cup has reached its finals of the final episode of the tournament and the winner will take home the prestigious AFC PRESIDENTS CUP home.
FC HITTU of Turkmenistan who only needed a draw to advance for finals manged to beat Sri Lanka Air Force in thriller by 2 goals to 1 to reach the targets and will meet much fancied North Korean Club Rimyongsu Club.in the finals.
The finals will kick off at 4.00 pm at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Friday 26th September which will be followed up by the Awards ceremony.
In the first Semi finals Rimyousy Club North Korea beat Sheikh Russels Krira of Bangladeah by 4 goals to 0. North Korean team plays a well combine and technical football which will be a challenge or the HTTU team.
The HITTU club of Turkministhan had a tough game against hosts Sri Lankan Air Force and beat them 2-1 at the final whistle.
It was Air Force who scored in the first 21st minute through their main stricker Kavindu Ishan to have the lead 1-0 at lemons. They led the HTTU till 80th minute and let the game turned towards HITTU win with 2 goals coming from their main sticker Sulayman Muhadev . He scored a hatrick at the opening game against Nepalese Manang to make his goals tally to 5.
The fast and strong HITU played a good game with out luck and Sri Lankan goal keeper Sujan Perera excelled in between the posts to save 3 – 4 certain goal scoring chances .
THE GRAND FINALS
HITTU -Turkminsthan Vs Rimyongsu Club North Korea
IN White – HITTU – Turkministhan Team and in Blue Rimyongsu Club North Korea

Grazie ad un’altra gara di personalità il Rimyongsu vola in finale nell’AFC President’s Cup. Il Sheikc Russel è domato con 4 reti in una gara a senso unico.

Rimyongsu: Ju Kwang-Min, Jang Kwang-Hyok (45′ Kim Kyong-Il), Han Song-Hyok, Ri Chang-Ho, Ri Hyok, Pak Song-Chol (C), Ri Chol-Myong (67′ Kang Wong-Myong), Ri Jin-Hyok (73′ Song Kum-Song), Ri Sang-Chol, Ro Hak-Su, Ri Kwang Hyok. All. Jo Tong-Sop

Reti: 31′ Ri Jin-Hyok, 45+2′Pak Song-Chol, 50′ Ro Hak-Su, 60′ Kim Kyong-Il
Ammonito: Ri Sang-Chol

E’ un super Rimyongsu quello che ha esordito nella prima gara del gironcino finale dell’AFC President’s Cup, che si sta giocando a Colombo nello Sri Lanka. Grazie ad una grande prova i coreani battono per 5-0 i mongoli dell’Erchim e si apprestano a giocare l’ultima gara con due risultati su tre: basterà non perdere contro il Sheikh Russel (vincitore solo 1-0 contro l’Erchim) per qualificarsi alla finale.

Rimyongsu: Ju Kwang-Min, Jang Kwang-Hyok, Han Song-Hyok, Ri Chang-Ho (69′ Kim Kyong-Il), Ri Hyok, Pak Song-Chol (C) (78′ Kang Won-Myong), Ri Chol-Myong, Ri Jin-Hyok, Ri Sang-Chol (81′ Jo Kum-Chol), Ro Hak-Su, Ri Kwang Hyok. All. Jo Tong-Sop

Reti: 20′ Ri Jin-Hyok, 22’Ri Hyok, 24’Ri Kwang-Hyok, 57′ Pak Song-Chol, 65′ Ri Jin Hyok.
Ammoniti: Ri Sang-Chol e Kim Kyong-Il.

Colombo: A brace from Ri Jin-hyok saw Rimyongsu Club put the AFC President’s Cup on notice with a comprehensive 5-0 drubbing of FC Erchim in their Group B tie at Sugathadasa Stadium on Monday.

Ri Hyok, Ri Kwang-hyok and Pak Song-chol were also on target to claim a convincing victory for the DPR Korea side while Erchim saw both Erkhembayar Batmunkh and Bilguun Ganbold sent off to cap a dismal afternoon for the Mongolians.
With Erchim having already lost to Bangaldesh’s Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Limited in their tournament opener on Saturday, their second consecutive defeat means they are eliminated from the competition, while Rimyongsu will take on Sheikh Russel on Wednesday to decide who advances to Friday’s final to face the winners of Group A.
“The first match of any tournament is always the most important so we made a lot of preparation and focused all our efforts on this game,” said Rimyongsu coach Jo Tong-sop.
“We prepared strategically, technically and psychologically and I’m very satisfied with my players’ performance, they really applied all our preparation in training to this match, which was great to see.
“The Mongolian team seemed very tired after their last game, but we are prepared for the short rest period that we have before our next game.”
Erchim coach Vojislav Bralusic had made two changes to the team that lost 1-0 to Sheikh Russel two days previous with Battulga Zorigt and Batbilguun Ganbaatar coming in to bolster the midfield, but it was Rimyongsu who looked the brighter side right from the start.
Erchim goalkeeper Ariunbold Batsaikhan had to be at his best to keep out efforts from both Ri Jin-hyok and Ri Sang-chol early on before the rampant DPR Korea side, almost inevitably, took the lead on 19 minutes.
Ro Hak-su’s in-swinging corner kick from the right-hand side found a leaping Ri Jin-hyok at the near post and the forward cleverly directed his head past Batsaikhan.
And Rimyongsu’s lead was doubled just two minutes later as Ri Chol-myong found Ri Hyok unmarked in the penalty area with a lofted pass from near the centre circle, and the latter calmly controlled the high ball before steering a composed left-footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner.
The quick one-two punch was a visible body-blow to a game Erchim side, who had worked a brave rearguard action throughout, and midway through the first half the score line became 3-0 as another accurate Ro corner was turned in, this time by Ri Kwang-hyok who ghosted in to head home.
And Rimyongsu’s deadly precision from set-pieces continued in the second period as Pak curled in a splendid free-kick from the edge of the area nine minutes after the restart for his team’s fourth goal.
Having been booked after conceding the foul that led to Pak’s goal, Batmunkh’s day got even worse just four minutes later as his foul on Ri Jin-hyok earned him his second yellow card and dismissal on 58 minutes.
Despite Erchim now playing with ten men, Ri Jin-hyok was in no mood for clemency and on the 65th minute the striker had his second and Rimyongu’s fifth, as he clinically dispatched Ri Chang-ho’s knock-down from close-range.
With Rimyongsu content to see out the remaining minutes there was still time for more misery for Erchim as Bilguun Ganbold saw straight red on 87 minutes for kicking out at Kim Kyong-il as the Mongolian side finished the tie with nine men.
“Before the tournament I said Rimyongsu would be the strongest team in the tournament, and they showed that today,” said Erchim coach Bralusic.
“They had better technique, power, and stamina than my guys, but I feel we learnt a lot from this game and it was a good experience for my players who are, after all, in an amateur team.
“We maybe need to work on our character a bit though, I didn’t like to see some of the players show a lack of respect and character out there, even though we’ve come a long way since I took over a year ago, we will need to go home and work a lot.”