Monthly Archives: novembre 2014

Remodeled May Day Stadium in Pyongyang

Pyongyang, November 14 (KCNA) — The May Day Stadium in the capital city of the DPRK has been successfully remodeled in a little more than 10 months, under the plan of the Workers’ Party of Korea on turning the country into a sports power.
The remodeled 150 000-seat stadium, located on scenic Rungna Islet, is flawless in architectural aesthetic and formative artistic aspects.
Its auditorium is arranged with red, blue and white plastic seats, reminiscent of the national flag.
The stadium has a football field covered with synthetic grass, a track with polyurethane rubber sheets and all other facilities needed to host international sports games.
Besides, it is equipped with such mass sports and welfare service facilities as table-tennis room, badminton court, mini-golf course, fitness and recovery rooms, restaurant and exhibition hall for exercise apparatuses.

Well-known Football Coach

Pyongyang, November 13 (KCNA) — The women’s football team of the DPRK took the first place in the 17th Asian Games, emerging one of the strongest teams in the world. The team’s success would have been unthinkable without the leading role of its chief coach Kim Kwang Min.
Kim Kwang Min, born in Pyongyang, began football at his age of 15 before joining the April 25 Sports Team one year later.
He was active as a back in the 13th Universiad and the 17th and 18th International Soccer Championships for King Cup, drawing attention of experts. Later, he was picked up as the chief coach of different women’s football teams.
He led his teams to winning the cups in the 22nd Universiad, the 4th Military World Games, the 15th Asian Games, the 2008 Asian Women’s Football Championships, the 2013 East Asian Cup and the 6th East Asian Games.
In 2008, the Asian Football Confederation awarded the DPRK team its best women’s football team prize and Kim Kwang Min its best coach prize.
Kim Kwang Min, a winner of the titles of the DPRK Labor Hero and the People’s Athlete, was selected as the best coach of the country in 2007, 2008 and 2013.

Kim Kwang Min

Coppa est-asiatica: Hong Kong – RPDC 1-2

buona la prima, con un po di sofferenza, per i coreani vittoriosi per 2-1 su Hong Kong.

Con una nazionale ancora sperimentale (quasi interamente giocatori del Rimyongsu, come il mister Jo Tong-Sop), i ragazzi di Pyongyang passano in vantaggio con due reti di Ri Chol-Myong e O Hyok-Chol, rispettivamente al 59′ e all’80’, prima di subire all’83’ il gol della parziale rimonta di McKee.

Formazione RPDC: Ri Myong-Guk, Jang Song-Hyok, Jon Kwang-Ik, Ro Hak-Su, Ri Chol-Myong (68′ O Hyok-Chol), Pak Song-Chol (C), Ri Jin-Hyok (62′ Choe Won), Jong Il-Gwan, Om Chol-Song (62′ Sim Hyon-Jin), Ri Yong-Chol, So Hyon-Uk. All Jo Tong-Sop

Hong Kong faced off against DPR Korea on Thursday afternoon in Chinese Taipei for the opening match of the EAFF East Asian Cup Preliminary Competition Round 2. Hong Kong showed great determination on the bitterly cold afternoon but somehow fell short in a heart-breaking 1:2 defeat against DPR Korea.

Hong Kong started the game positively with an early chance to take the lead. Barely one minute into the game, Chan Man-fai unleashed a shot from the left-side but saw his effort deflected off a DPR Korea player and went out of play.

Hong Kong had another opportunity on the 20th minute when Christian Annan took a short pass from a teammate but then blasted his shot off target.

DPR Korea started to get more involved and came close on the 24th minute when Pak Song Chol took advantage of Hong Kong’s failure to clear the ball but fired high above the Hong Kong goal.

Jong Il Gwan almost put DPR Korea in front on the 34th minute when he fought off the pressure of Wisdom Fofo but sadly smashed his shot wide off the Hong Kong goal.

Hong Kong almost nicked the lead at the end of the first-half when Chan Man-fai spotted Ju Yingzhi just outside the DPR Korea box. Ju unleashed a shot but could not find the target with his effort.

DPR Korea started the second half eager to break the game open. On the 51st minute, Jong Il Gwan connected with a teammate’s cross but saw his flying header rejected by the Hong Kong crossbar. Hong Kong certainly dodged a bullet on the occasion.

Ri Chol Myong put DPR Korea in front on the 59th minute when the player took advantage of Hong Kong’s failure to handle a DPR Korea cross and blasted the ball into the net from close to the penalty spot. The score was now 0:1 with DPR Korea in front.

DPR Korea doubled its lead on the 80th minute when Sim Hyon Jin pulled the ball back for teammate O Hyok Chol. The latter wasted no time and fired a thunderbolt that found the back of the Hong Kong net. The score was now 0:2.

Hong Kong managed to pull one back on the 84th minute when Jaimes Mckee found himself on the receiving end of a Hong Kong corner-kick from the right-side. The Hong Kong speedster nodded from close-range and made it 1:2.

Late in the game, Xu Deshuai almost became the hero for Hong Kong but sadly saw his sliding shot nicely saved by the DPR Korea keeper.

The score remained unchanged towards the final whistle as Hong Kong suffered a cruel 1:2 defeat on the hands of DPR Korea in the opening game of the EAFF East Asian Cup 2015 Preliminary Competition Round 2.

World Cup legend inspires Young Chollima

For any country, a significant FIFA World Cup™ victory is a lasting legacy from which future generations can take heart. In the case of Korea DPR, their milestone last-eight finish at England 1966 remains a landmark worth celebrating even to this day. During that campaign, Pak Doo Ik scored the only goal against Italy as the Chollima stormed into the quarter-finals in unexpected fashion and 48 years on, the Korea DPR legend was singled out as an inspirational figure by Han Kwang-Song, a promising forward who helped steer his side to victory at the 2014 AFC U-16 Championship in September.

“Mr Pak is my idol,” the youngster told FIFA.com. “He was among the best performers representing our country in the 1966 World Cup. Just as every football player of our team, I am very proud of the past achievement. I really want to emulate that feat by joining our senior national team in the near future and helping our side to the World Cup.”

Sources of inspiration
Pak isn’t, however, the only iconic player from whom Han draws inspiration. Former Brazilian star Ronaldo, as the youngster admits, is his second favourite player. And it is little surprise considering the way he played during the Asian youth campaign. While the entire Korea DPR side impressed through their team-work and spirit, it was Han who stood out for his pace, skills and sharp nose for goals.

The 16-year-old opened his account with a spot-kick in the opening 3-0 rout of Kuwait, and was again on target despite being edged 3-2 by Uzbekistan. He went on to seal their 4-1 triumph against hosts Nepal as they progressed to the knockout stage, before rounding off his campaign with a spectacular strike in the 2-1 final victory against Korea Republic. The four goals saw him finish as the tournament’s second best scorer just a goal shy of Korea Republic’s Lee Seungwoo.

And it was his last goal that best showcased his qualities as a striking prodigy. Korea Republic took the lead through Choi Jaeyoung’s header before the break but Han drew level shortly after the restart. The rival defenders missed a long ball into the area and a lurking Han deftly brought down the ball with one touch before coolly firing home to equalise.

“That goal from the final is the most memorable for me during the campaign,” Han recalled. “I have given priority to dribbling during training so I am always hoping to contribute to the team’s victory through my skillful, active play.

“In every match, I play with my soul,” continued Han, who started playing football as an eight-year-old before being recruited into the national youth team. “Although we lost to Uzbekistan during the group phase, my team-mates and I remained confident of qualifying for the next stage.”

Aiming for new milestones
Coach Yon Kwang-Mu, meanwhile, paid tribute to the team’s organisation and never-say-die spirit as they went through a series of stiff tests en route to a second Asian crown. In fact, the Young Chollima were held to stalemates after 120 minutes by first Iran and then Australia during the knockout stage, only to progress through tense penalty shoot-out victories to set up the final meeting with their peninsula neighbours.

“Our boys gave it all during the competition,” remarked the former national team player. “They always maintained their concentration, played with full confidence and demonstrated the winning mentality as they won one game after another. The self-belief and willpower should be our major strengths in addition to our teamwork.”

Yon has now set his sights on springing a surprise in next year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile. Korea DPR twice progressed to the second round in the global showpiece in 2005 and 2007, and Yon is aiming to break new ground this time around.

“Our goal is to advance to the top four in Chile next year,” he revealed. “(To prepare for the competition) the majority of these players will be sent to Italy this year, where they can learn and improve. It is important for their development.”

With the team targeting an unprecedented result, striking-ace Han has set a fresh objective for himself hoping to transform his brilliant continental form to the global stage. “My goal is simple,” he concluded. “It is to score more than four goals in the World Cup.”

Hong Kong Faces DPR Korea on Thursday to Kick-off EAFF East Asian Cup 2015 Qualifying Journey

Hong Kong will officially kick-off its EAFF East Asian Cup 2015 Preliminary Competition Round 2 campaign on Thursday afternoon against DPR Korea in Chinese Taipei. The game will hold tremendous significance to whether Hong Kong can qualify for the next round of the tournament.

Hong Kong’s preparation for the EAFF East Asian Cup 2015 qualifying campaign has been far from ideal, with the whole squad only managed to gather on Monday morning for the first time when the side took on Sun Pegasus in a warm-up game. Despite all the hurdles and distractions over the past week, Hong Kong was able to generate some much-needed positivity and came out victorious against Sun Pegasus 1:0.

DPR Korea, currently ranks 148th in the FIFA ranking, will serve as the main road block to Hong Kong’s quest of advancing to the next round. The team has come off the recent Incheon Asian Games as the runner-up and is the favourite of advancing to the next round of the EAFF East Asian Cup 2015. The side has prepared feverishly for this tournament and took part in three warm-up games over the past two months against quality Middle East sides such as Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. Hong Kong players and coaching staffs will definitely have their hands full come Thursday match time.

Veteran full-back Lo Kwan-yee sees the glass as half-full regarding Hong Kong’s chances in the upcoming qualifying campaign. “Make no mistake about it as the first game against DPR Korea will be very important. We will not get distracted by anything and stay totally focus on that game. Hopefully, we can stay solid at the back and capitalize on our chances in the counter-attack,” explained Lo. “We did not have much time to prepare together but it is good to come out with a win in the warm-up game against Sun Pegasus. All of the players seem to have a very good understanding with one another and I hope we can make the most of our chances come match day.”

Hong Kong Head Coach Kim Pan-gon talks about the different possibilities in the Hong Kong line-up for the EAFF East Asian Cup 2015 qualifying campaign. “Chan Man-fai has played very well for Hong Kong in recent games and he could very well be our first-choice striker up-front. We also have Wong Wai available and pending on the situation, Jaimes Mckee might also see game action.” Kim offered. “At the back, I have very happy with the play of (Lee) Chi-ho, (Wisdom) Fofo and Andy (Naegelein) in the warm-up game against Sun Pegasus. They have certainly played well and I am very satisfied with their performances.”

Shaikh Salman meets DPR Korea FA vice-president

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa asserted the confederation’s plan to continue implementing a variety of programmes, aimed to develop football in Asia.

This came during his meeting with vice-president of the DPR Korea Football Association and AFC Executive Committee member Ms Han Un Gyong at his office in Manama on Saturday.

During the meeting, both parties discussed a number of issues related to football on the continent, and also reviewed the prospects of joint cooperation between the two organisations. Shaikh Salman was briefed in detail about the future plans of the DPR Korea FA, and expressed admiration for the efforts by the Korean side to develop football.

The AFC President also praised the positive results achieved by North Korea’s national teams at different age groups football competitions on the continent. Ms Han Un Gyong extended her thanks and appreciation to Shaikh Salman for the warm reception, and commended his keenness on continuing his cooperation with the football family in Asia and leading the AFC towards development and prosperity.

EAFF Championship: Taiwan senza Xavier Chen

Xavier Chen to miss Cup qualifiers


Taiwan’s chances of recording good results in next week’s East Asian Cup qualifiers were dealt a big blow this week when Taiwanese-Belgian player Xavier Chen announced he would not play due to various unresolved issues and differences of opinion with the nation’s soccer association.
With 10 years experience in Belgium’s top division, Chen is looked upon as the great hope for Taiwan to achieve success at major international tournaments.
However, Chen announced his decision not to play on Facebook on Thursday.
“Tonight, I report to my friends and to the fans that I took my decision to miss this EAFF [East Asian Football Federation] tournament and I’ve informed [the] football association so,” he wrote, adding that some officials did not respect Taiwan players’ basic rights.
On the up side for fans and the national team, Chen also outlined another three points.
“(A) I promise to play for World Cup Qualifiers next year. (B) From now on, I will find sponsors [of] my own for my pay [1,000 euros (US$1,240) per game], instead of CTFA [Chinese Taipei Football Association]. Permit me to say that I am deeply moved by the great support from Lu and friends on the Internet. However, I will never take a dime since I have received so much love from you. (C) Same as my teammates, our shared aspiration is to have a team with international competitiveness. The goal gives us an extra boost; I will keep looking for good Taiwanese players overseas to make it happen,” he wrote.
The dispute stems from Chen’s unresolved issues with top officials in charge of the nation’s soccer association.
Chen said he signed a memorandum of understanding with former president Lu Kun-shan in 2011 and alluded to the fact that officials are not honoring the terms of that agreement.
According to reports, the agreement was for a 1,000 euros per match appearance fee, along with flight tickets for Chen’s travel.
Questioned by reporters yesterday, soccer association secretary-general Chiu Yi-wen said: “We pay all expenses for travel and accommodation for all members of the national team, but to be fair to everyone we cannot provide an appearance fee only for Xavier Chen and not for the others. We should not make an exception just for him,”
However, Chiu left the door open for Chen’s return to the squad.
“We will continue to negotiate with Chen and his agent. He is welcome to play for Taiwan at anytime,” Chiu said.

EAFF Championship: i convocati di Hong Kong

Hong Kong squad:

Goalkeepers WANG Zhenpeng (Kitchee), YAPP Hung Fai (Eastern)

Defenders LEE Chi Ho (Eastern), Wisdom Fofo AGBO (Harbin Yiteng), NAEGELEIN Andy Hannes Ling Fung (Hunan Xiangtao F.C.), CHEUNG Kin Fung (Kitchee), BAI He (Shijiazhuang Yongchang), SEALY, Jonathan Jack (South China), LEUNG Kwun Chung (YFCMD)

Midfielders HUANG Yang, LAM Ka Wai, LO Kwan Yee (Kitchee), LEUNG Chun Pong (South China), JU Yingzhi (Sun Pegasus), WONG Wai (YFCMD)

Forwards Christian Kwesi ANNAN, XU Deshuai (Kitchee), CHAN Man Fai, LEE Hong Lim, MCKEE, Jaimes Anthony (Sun Pegasus)

Striker Chan Siu-Ki is injured while captain and defender Chan Wai-Ho is missing due to poor form.

Hong Kong Ready for EAFF Qualifying Round in Chinese Taipei

The Hong Kong Men’s Representative Team has recently got back onto the training pitch in preparation for next week’s EAFF Asian Cup 2015 Preliminary Competition Round 2. The tournament will take place in Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong will square off against the likes of DPR Korea, Chinese Taipei and Guam in order to battle for the opportunity to advance to the next round.

Hong Kong Head Coach Kim Pan-gon shared his master plan for the tournament with the gathered media after a recent training session. “DPR Korea has strengthened with the addition of a few experienced players into their squad. They should be even better from their showing in the Incheon Asian Games and we will try to stay undefeated against them,” Kim offered. “Afterwards, we will try our outmost to come out victorious against Chinese Taipei and Guam. We will then see where this might lead us to.”

Veteran defender Lee Chi-ho believes the current Hong Kong squad has enough quality to overcome the loss of captain Chan Wai-ho, who was not selected by the Hong Kong Head Coach on this occasion. “(Chan) Wai-ho and I have been partners in the Hong Kong squad for all these years and of course I will miss the understanding that we have built up,” Lee admitted. “However, Andy Naegelein, Wisdom Fofo and Bai He have all proven themselves in the ultra-competitive mainland football and I believe no matter what kind of defensive pairings we deploy in the tournament, they should all be able to get the job done on the pitch.”

Returning to the Hong Kong fold will be influential midfielder Bai He, who cautions that Hong Kong must focus on playing up to its maximum potential during the tournament. “DPR Korea should be toughest team that we will face in this round but that does not mean we can afford to take the others lightly,” preached the lanky Bai He. “No matter who we come up against, I firmly believe we should focus on playing up to our maximum potential. That is the only way that we will stand any chance of advancing to the next round.”

Promising forward Wong Wai has once again been called up to the senior squad and is eager to repay his coach’s faith. “My game has definitely improved ever since returning from the Incheon Asian Games,” Wong said. “I can see that Coach Kim has been giving young players their opportunities to prove themselves in recent games and he has also taken me aside for extra shooting practices. I hope with several senior players missing on this occasion, I can step up and help lead Hong Kong to a few good results.”

Torneo Internazionale giovanile di Incheon U15: vince il 25 Aprile!

Grazie alla netta vittoria in finale contro gli Uzbeki del Bunyodkor, la squadra U15 del 25 Aprile vince il Torneo Internazionale giovanile di Incheon!

Precedentemente il 25 Aprile aveva battuto l’Incheon per 1-0, nella seconda gara del girone.

Miglior giocatore del torneo è stato votato Kim Bom-Hyuk (nella foto è il capitano, numero 12):

Torneo Internazionale giovanile di Incheon U15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29sKbbS1z1k

Prima vittoria per gli U15 del 25 Aprile contro i pari età del Seongnam al torneo Internazionale giovanile di Incheon.
Reti di Kim Bom-Hyuk (20′), Baek Chung-Sung (21′) e Kim Bom-Hyuk (46′) [nb: tempi da 30 minuti)

Participating Countries
:: South Korea, North Korea, Uzbekistan, China
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Group A
– South Korea(1) : Seongnam
– South Korea(2) : Incheon United FC
– North Korea : 4.25 Youth Sports Team

Group B
– Uzbekistan : Bunyodkor FC
– China : Guangzhou Team
– South Korea(3) : Gangwon FC
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