April 25 Sports Team Wins National First-rate Soccer Tournament

Pyongyang, May 4 (KCNA) — The first-rate soccer tournament took place in Pyongyang as part of the National Sports Festival for Mangyongdae Prize celebrating the centenary of the birth of PresidentKim Il Sung.

Competing in the tournament on a round-robin basis were 12 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams.

The April 25 Sports Team placed first in men’s and women’s football events, each with seven wins and four draws in 11 matches and seven wins and two draws in nine matches.

The Pyongyang City Sports Team came second in the men’s soccer event and the Amnokgang Sports Team in the women’s soccer event while the third place in men’s and women’s soccer events was taken by the Amnokgang Sports Team and the Sobaeksu Sports Team.

The top scorer prize went to Kang Jin Hyok of the Myohyangsan men’s team for eight goals and Ra Un Sim of the Amnokgang women’s team for nine goals.

Pyongyang, March 20 (KCNA) — A football tournament took place at Kim Il Sung Stadium and Sosan Football Stadium in Pyongyang from February 20 to March 18.

13 men’s and 10 women’s teams competed in league matches.

The Amnokgang men’s team and the April 25 women’s team placed first, with nine wins and three draws in 12 matches and eight wins and one draw in nine matches respectively.

Meanwhile, the Rimyongsu men’s team and Ponghwasan women’s team finished second and Kigwancha men’s team and Sobaeksu women’s team third.

More support to DPRK’s sports

The Korea Sports Fund (KSF) has been making a contribution to developing the country's sports with the help of overseas Koreans, foreign charities, individual figures and sports fans.

US-based expatriate Ri Jun Su, chairman of the International Sports Fellowship Association, is working to sponsor the DPRK contingent for the 30th London Olympics slated for next year.

Canada-based Rim Hyon Su and other overseas Koreans are rendering unstinting assistance to speed skaters in the homeland.

They have provided them with apparatuses and racing suits on several occasions and made arrangements for their training in Canada, contributing to improving their skills.

Among the foreign supporters is Maarten Boon, former resident officer of UNDP in Pyongyang.

"I've learnt that the DPRK is channelling big efforts into sports, especially into making sports mass-based. Back home, I'll work harder to render assistance to the sports sector of the country," said Maarten Boon on his visit to the aerobic centre run by the KSF during his recent stay in Pyongyang.

The KSF is engaged in a range of cooperation projects including those for building capacities of athletes, coaches and administrative officials, setting up and upgrading sporting facilities, making sports mass-based, developing physical culture for women and children, training promising and reserve athletes and raising a special fund for would-be participants in Paralympics.

By Chae Chol Man PT
http://www.naenara.com.kp/en/periodic/times/index.php?contents+14667+2011-11-48+555+30

Premier league ends

The DPRK premier league football matches took place as part of the National Championships in
Kim Il Sung Stadium between October 1 and November 5.

Eleven male teams and eight female teams played round-robin matches for this year's title.

The fierce competition served as an important occasion to showcase the capacity and potential of each participant and help upgrade the country's soccer level.

With a tally of 212 goals the nation's top-level soccer competition was featured by high speed, well-knit two or three-person combination and daring shot in the goal area.

Running time and distance of the players increased remarkably over the previous competitions and counteroffensives by wing breakthroughs were powerful.

The April 25, Sobaeksu, Kigwancha and Amnokgang teams proved successful in the male division by improving the speed of passes and switchover from attack to defence and vice versa based on one touch and long and medium-distance passes.

Backed by the sound physical fitness, the April 25 scrambled for ball in the rivals' areas to enhance the ball control rate and reset the shooting frequency by occupying favourable positions, netting 19 goals, the highest score among the male teams.

Females from the same club also won the division by scoring three goals in a match on average.

They were the sole team who won all matches in both divisions.

Coaches' role saw a boost during the competition.

Kim Mun Chol and Ri Ui Ham, chief coaches of the April 25 male and female teams, managed to turn adversity into opportunity by making bold decisions and applying a variety of tactics with accurate analysis of the opponents' strength and weakness.

The competition was highlighted by refined skills by promising players.

Paek Sol Hui from Ponghwasan female team set a record of direct free kicks, and Chae Tu Yong from Kigwancha male team scored a hat trick.

"All the matches gave us fresh confidence and courage. Most teams adopted attack-oriented tactics, making the matches more dynamic and unfolding fantastic scoring scenes. They have upgraded their level," said Kim Won Hyok from Moranbong District.

April 25 earned the male title, followed by Kigwancha and Sobaeksu.

April 25 also won the female title, Amnokgang finished runner-up and Rimyongsu came third.

By Jo In Ok PT

Celebrated TV Football Commentator

Pyongyang, November 21 (KCNA) – Prof. and Dr. Ri Tong Gyu (75), who is a researcher at the Sports Science Institute under the Academy of Sports Science of Korea, is popular among local people as a TV football commentator.

His explanation, artless and intellectual, is based on a wide-ranging professional knowledge covering tactics and records of any teams, footballers and coaches all over the world.

Football matches supported by Ri's explanation draw more TV viewers.

Ri had served for sports development of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) before he returned to the homeland. After returning home, he has trained many people as sports scientists and made scores of valuable research findings.

He appeared on TV more than 900 times to explain local and international football matches.

Leader Kim Jong Il sent a birthday spread to him, appreciating his services for the development of the country's sports science.

Old as he is, he is still energetically working for the development of the nation's sports science, including football techniques.

Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) — League matches of top soccer teams took place at Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang recently.

They drew four men's teams and four women's teams which proved successful in the latest round of the premier league held some time ago.

Following are the standings of men's teams:

Following are the standings of women's teams:

No. Team Matches Played Won Drawn Lost Goals for Goals against Point

Sosan Football Stadium Facelifted

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) — Sosan Football Stadium in Chongchun Street in Pyongyang has undergone facelifting.

The football field was newly covered with artificial grass and a large electronic display installed.

Seats, referee room and medical checkup room were renewed.

The deputy director of the Management Bureau of Sports Facilities, Ri Yong Chol, told KCNA that the stadium is now suitable for any international and domestic football matches.

The 25 000-seat stadium was built in Juche 77 (1988).