Shorthanded South Korea fell to North Korea 4-1 in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games women's football tournament Saturday.
Ri Hak grabbed a brace, while An Myong-song and Kim Kyong-yong had a goal apiece for North Korea at Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium in Wenzhou, some 300 kilometers southeast of the main host city, Hangzhou. South Korea, playing more than half the match down a player, crashed out early after winning three bronze medals in a row from 2010 to 2018.
South Korean players (in red) argue with North Korean players after a foul committed by North Korean Hong Song-ok on South Korean Ji So-yun during the teams' quarterfinals match in the women's football tournament at the Asian Games at Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium in Wenzhou, China, on Sept. 30, 2023. (Yonhap)
South Korean players (in red) argue with North Korean players after a foul committed by North Korean Hong Song-ok on South Korean Ji So-yun during the teams' quarterfinals match in the women's football tournament at the Asian Games at Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium in Wenzhou, China, on Sept. 30, 2023. (Yonhap)
In the semifinals scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday in Hangzhou, North Korea will face Uzbekistan.
This was the first all-Korean meeting in Asian Games women's football since the semifinals in 2014. North Korea prevailed 2-1 then en route to winning their third Asiad gold.
South Korea have just one win in 20 matches against North Korea, along with three draws and 16 losses. The lone victory by the Taegeuk Ladies had come in August 2005.
North Korea won Asian Games gold medals in 2002, 2006 and 2014. South Korea have never even played in a gold medal match.
South Korean players (in red) celebrate an own goal by North Korea during the teams' quarterfinals match in the women's football tournament at the Asian Games at Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium in Wenzhou, China, on Sept. 30, 2023. (Yonhap)
South Korean players (in red) celebrate an own goal by North Korea during the teams' quarterfinals match in the women's football tournament at the Asian Games at Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium in Wenzhou, China, on Sept. 30, 2023. (Yonhap)
There was a testy moment some three minutes into the match, when Hong Song-ok picked up a yellow card with a hard tackle on South Korean legend Ji So-yun. Cooler heads prevailed before things escalated further.
South Korea took a 1-0 lead on an own goal by North Korean player Ri Hye-gyong on 11 minutes. South Korea's Kim Hye-ri sent a corner kick toward towering forward Park Eun-sun, but the ball instead floated over Park's head and struck unsuspecting Ri before rolling across the goal line.
Ri Hak netted the equalizer for North Korea in the 20th minute, with a free kick from just outside the box that left goalkeeper Kim Jung-mi frozen to the spot.
Wi Jong-sim of North Korea (L) and Choe Yu-ri of South Korea battle for the ball during the teams' quarterfinals match in the women's football tournament at the Asian Games at Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium in Wenzhou, China, on Sept. 30, 2023. (Yonhap)
Wi Jong-sim of North Korea (L) and Choe Yu-ri of South Korea battle for the ball during the teams' quarterfinals match in the women's football tournament at the Asian Games at Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium in Wenzhou, China, on Sept. 30, 2023. (Yonhap)
The match took an unexpected twist for South Korea in the 41st minute, as they lost forward Son Hwa-yeon to her second yellow card of the match. Son tried to corral the long-distance pass from Park Eun-sun as the ball bounced toward the goal and appeared to collide with goalkeeper Kim Un-hui, who charged out of her position to clear the ball.
North Korea sought to capitalize on that one-player advantage. They spent most of the opening moments in the second half in the attacking zone, though they lacked clinical finishing in and around the box.
South Korea head coach Colin Bell reacts to a play against North Korea during the teams' quarterfinals match in the women's football tournament at the Asian Games at Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium in Wenzhou, China, on Sept. 30, 2023. (Yonhap)
South Korea head coach Colin Bell reacts to a play against North Korea during the teams' quarterfinals match in the women's football tournament at the Asian Games at Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium in Wenzhou, China, on Sept. 30, 2023. (Yonhap)
An Myong-song broke the deadlock in the 81st minute on a fortuitous bounce. In a chaotic scramble inside the box, Choe Kum-ok fanned on a shot attempt and the ball ended up rolling toward An, who poked it past Kim Jung-mi to put North Korea up for good.
Ri Hak scored her second goal of the match with a mid-range strike that went in off the left post. Kim Kyong-yong then put the icing on the cake with a penalty during injury time.
North Korea played some hard-nosed football, committing rough fouls that sent South Korean bodies flying left and right.
Source: Yonhap News Agency