Monthly Archives: settembre 2014

All-Korean football final would be a dream

By John Duerden

It has been a very big weekend for North Korean football. The U16 team came from behind to defeat South Korea 2-1 on Saturday to win Asia’s Under-16 championship.

It was an impressive performance — and there may be more. At the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, the U23 team also has the makings of a good team.

In the weeks before the tournament, Pyongyang disappointed the 17th Asian Games organizers by going back on plans to send 350 female cheerleaders. During the 2003 Daegu Student Games, a similar group of fans made headlines at home and overseas.

North Korea’s football team may not be quite as glamorous or mysterious as the women’s team, who visited the South 11 years ago, but this men’s squad has the potential to make a big impact.

Little is known about what goes on in the North, but it is safe to say that winning gold in one of Asia’s biggest Asian sporting events is already a big accomplishment. The North’s women’s team has been a force in world football for some time and is living up to its reputation as a favorite to win gold.

While the men’s team is not considered a favorite, it has already advanced to the second round and is preparing to go further against either Indonesia or Thailand. The 2-0 win over Pakistan on Thursday was expected, especially after Pakistan was reduced to 10 men in the first half.

What was impressive, however, was the North’s 3-0 win was over China in the opening game. The Middle Kingdom may be one of the continent’s biggest underachievers so far, but made the short journey across the Yellow Sea with a decent roster and with reasonable hopes of a good outing. Yet the Chinese quickly learned that the Pyongyang national team could be a serious contender.

The Chinese media agreed that their team was outplayed and that North Korea deserved the win. Chinese coach Fu Bo praised the opposition for its good teamwork and skills. He blamed simple errors for his team’s defeat. However, the North forced many of these errors. The Chinese coach praised the North players’ strong awareness of where teammates were at any time, and for sticking closely to the game plan.

When looking at the big picture, North Korea has posted average results in youth tournaments. The country has talented players, but not having a professional league limits players’ opportunities to reach their potential. There is also an unwillingness to send players overseas, which also limits their growth.

However, there is hope for North Korean football, as Jong Il-gwan has been getting much recognition. The speedy striker first turned heads at the 2010 Asian U19 Championship. His hat-trick during the final when the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) defeated Australia opened many eyes. His performance at the championships was just one reason the then-teenager received the 2010 Asian Young Player of the Year award.

He is now in the U23 team, mobile and looking as good as ever. There have been rumors linking him to him to European clubs in the past. Another strong performance at these games, and it would be no surprise if such rumors resurface soon.

So Kyoung-jin has also scored two goals in the past two games. Compared to previous national teams, there is a lot more firepower in this squad.

Against weaker teams, the North has been willing to take the initiative, but it remains to be seen what will happen later in the tournament when the North faces much stronger opposition, although Indonesia or Thailand may not provide such a tough test.

Compared to the South, however, the North tends to be more pragmatic, happy to “park the bus” in front of its goal, keep the game close and to decide the result on penalty shootouts. But as they say, a win is a win no matter how you get it.

It is too early to talk of another all-Korean final, but it is not impossible. A potential match pitting the two Koreas would be a game for the ages.

John Duerden writes for the Guardian, BBC Radio 5, ESPN, World Football magazine and the Associated Press. He also contributes to the New York Times and the Daily Telegraph. He can be reached at john.duerden@gmail.com.

john.duerden@gmail.com,

Player Profile | Pak Kwang-Ryong

The young DPR Korea striker will be one to watch at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

Currently plying his trade with Swiss glamour club FC Basel, Pak Kwang-ryong knows what it takes to taste success.

Starting out with DPR Korean club side Wolmido, Pak was scouted by Swiss outfit FC Wil, gifting the hulking striker his maiden opportunity in Europe.

After a strong run of form, Pak gained the attention of FC Basel, who acquired his services in June 2011.

Pak was able to find the back of the net against English Premier League side West Ham United in the 2011 Uhrencup, before he made his first team debut in FC Basel’s draw with BSC Young Boys later that year.

At this stage, Pak was still eligible to play in the 2011-12 U/19 NextGen Cup. The striker capped of his tournament, with a goal against English giants Tottenham Hotspur.

Following this, Pak received the best possible birthday present when on his 19th birthday he became the first DPR Korean player to play in the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League, coming off the bench in his sides 3-3 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

2011-12 would prove pivotal in the young striker’s career as he was a part of the Basel side who took of both the League Championship title and the Swiss Cup.

It will be this experience of winning big time matches that will be crucial to DPR Korea tasting success in Australia.

In 2013, Basel announced the Pak would sign a loan deal with Liechtensteiner club Vaduz in the Swiss Challenge League to gain more experience.

Injuries and player vacancies in the most recent season though have enabled Pak to regain his place in the FC Basel senior squad.

Pak has feature for DPR Korea at international level on 12 occasions with his most notable performance coming in the successful 2012 Challenge Cup campaign where he netter DPR Korea’s two goals in their 2-0 semi-final victory over Palestine.

Despite his age, Pak Kwang-ryong’s experience will be crucial to DPR Korea’s chance at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

http://www.afcasiancup.com/news/en/player-profile/mkspq2cpeyq71fu8kk9x17h6w

Pak Kwang-Ryong, un nuevo Streller para el Basilea

Nacer en Pyongyang es, en muchos casos sinónimo de dificultades. Problemas a los que debes sobreponerte, obstáculos que esquivar para labrarte un futuro decente que, con un poco de suerte, te permita salir del país y de su autoritario régimen y vivir tranquilamente fuera de sus fronteras.

Ese es el caso de Pak Kwang-Ryong, que nació en 1992 en la capital de Corea del Norte y que a los 16 años ya estaba triunfando en el Wolmido Sports Club de la modestísima liga local. Pese a su juventud era titular en la delantera de este equipo propiedad del gobierno y atrajo los focos locales gracias a sus movimientos en el área y a su facilidad para anotar goles, llevándose durante dos temporadas consecutivas el premio a Mejor Joven del torneo. Pero sus éxitos prematuros no acabaron ahí y en febrero de 2010 formó parte del equipo nacional que iba a jugar la AFC Challenge Cup en Sri Lanka, en la que el combinado norcoreano salió victorioso y se ganó el billete que el torneo otorgaba para la Copa Asia 2011, con el joven delantero anotando su primer gol internacional frente a Kyrgyzstan.

Todo esto lo valió para que un modesto club de la Challenge League suiza (la segunda división) lo incorporase a sus filas en 2011 con la inestimable ayuda de Karl Messerli, ex futbolista suizo que ahora ejerce como intermediario entre el gobierno de Corea del Norte y los clubes de fútbol europeos y que ya ha llevado casi una decena de futbolistas del país hasta el fútbol helvético. Así fue como Pak llegó al FC Wil por algo más de 50.000 euros.

Unos meses después de su llegada al país Pak ya había firmado por el club más popular de Suiza, el Basilea. Los rotblau lo invitaron a una sesión de entrenamiento con el equipo sub21 que acabó con el delantero firmando un contrato. Encandilados por su fútbol y su capacidad para jugar el balón con los pies pese a su estatura, pero también por su “actitud y disciplina”, Pak se enrolaba así en las filas del campeón suizo, que se adelantaba a Udinese y Ajax, los dos clubes que mayor interés mostraron en su contratación.

Su primer año en Basilea (la temporada 2011/2012) iba a dejar un recital de récords. Empezó marcando en su primer partido, de pretemporada, en la Uhren Cup y frente al West Ham. Compaginó el primer equipo con el sub19 que participaba en las NextGen Series, donde anotó en su primer choque frente al Tottenham Hotspur. Debutó poco más tarde en la Champions League frente al Otelul Galati, un 14 de septiembre que queda fijado como el día en que debutó el primer norcoreano en la máxima competición europea de clubes. También iba a disputar diez minutos en Old Trafford, en el memorable empate 3-3 frente al Manchester United. El balance de su primer año se saldaba con el título de la Superliga, la Copa Suiza y entre medio una nueva AFC Challenge Cup con su país, la edición de 2012 en Nepal, donde anotó dos tantos y fue clave en la consecución del título y del billete a la Copa Asia que su selección disputará en 2015.

Entró con fuerza en el equipo y sin embargo en su segundo curso, ante la imposibilidad de darle un mayor número de minutos durante el primer semestre, el club anunció que emplearía el sistema de las cesiones a equipos de la segunda categoría (tremendamente habitual en el fútbol suizo) con varios jugadores jóvenes que pretendían que se curtiesen como ya hiciesen recientemente Sommer o Schär, entre otros. En ese paquete de jugadores iba el delantero norcoreano, que en el mercado invernal de 2013 firmaría su cesión al Bellinzona, donde se mantuvo hasta final de temporada siendo un habitual en las alineaciones, disputando 17 partidos (de 18 posibles), anotando 7 goles y sirviendo 4 asistencias.

El verano de 2013 se pactó su segunda cesión, esta vez iba a ser al Vaduz y se iba junto a su compañero Pascal Schürpf. Tras unos meses el Basilea decidió repescar al jugador norcoreano para suplir la baja por lesión de Streller, aunque solo iba a disputar 8 minutos y en el mercado invernal iba a volver a la capital de Liechtenstein, para esta vez si, tener una importancia capital en el Vaduz y en la consecución del título de Liga y consecuente ascenso a la Superliga y la Copa de Liechtenstein, que les da el billete directo a la próxima Europa League. Desde el mes de febrero sus cifras de producción han sido elevadísimas, con 10 goles en 20 partidos disputados (con un promedio de un gol cada 137 minutos, el mismo que el máximo anotador del torneo) y participando en la gran mayoría de goles de su equipo. En estos cinco últimos meses hemos visto al mejor Pak, recibiendo balones de espaldas y protegiendo con sus 188 cm. de estatura para distribuirlos con inteligencia e incorporarse al posterior remate, filtrando pases de esos que rompen líneas y sabiendo estar siempre en el sitio adecuado para el remate, demostrando tener un olfato de gol que puede hacer estragos en Suiza. En el Basilea han encontrado al sustituto perfecto de Streller y ya le allanan el camino para cuando éste decida dejarlo. Parece que los tiempos en que el mítico Jong Tae-Se era el único que paseaba la bandera norcoreana por el fútbol del Viejo Continente han acabado.

Texto de Tomás García
http://www.undergroundfootball.com/?p=2811

Unity is our strength says jubilant Yon

Bangkok: Coach Yon Kwang-mu hailed as “united” spirit as the decisive factor as DPR Korea claimed a second AFC U-16 Championship title after recording a 2-1 comeback victory over Korea Republic in Saturday’s final.

DPR Korea had fallen behind to Choi Jae-young’s 34th minute header following a frantic start to the final at Rajamangala Stadium.

But after Han Kwang-song netted his fourth goal in six games five minutes after half-time, striker partner Choe Song-hyok struck with 23 minutes remaining as DPR Korea added to their 2010 triumph.

“We have been preparing for this championship for a long time with the qualifiers last year, but we have now succeeded,” said former DPR Korea international striker Yon after his first final appearance as a head coach.

“We have united as one as we have tried to show our team spirit in all our matches.”

DPR Korea finished runners-up in Group C behind Uzbekistan having lost to the defending champions either side of wins over Kuwait and Nepal.

But after edging out Iran following a penalty shootout in their quarter-final following a goalless draw to secure qualification for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, DPR Korea also needed penalties to beat Australia in the semi-final following 1-1 draw.

“For our young players, this championship is their debut in international matches and our young players played well in the group stage and learned a lot in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and also the final.

“Their skill and technique and their determination has developed, and in the future through this experience at this championship, we will consolidate what they have learned.

“We will play at the World Cup and represent Asia. We will prepare well and show Asia’s development at the World Cup.”