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.