DPR Korea players celebrate after qualifying for the Final of the AFC U-17 Championship on Thursday. AFC photo by Stanley Chou

By Tan Boon Piaw SINGAPORE: DPR Korea took apart debutants Tajikistan 3-0 and stormed into the Final of the AFC U-17 Championship Final for the second time in a row here at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday. DPR Korea will take on Japan, who beat Syria 2-0 in the other semifinal, in the all-East Asian Final on Sunday. Tajikistan will now play against Syria in the playoff for third-fourth place the same day before the grand finale. Captain An Il Bom scored a brace to bring to an end Tajikistan’s marvellous run in the competition while another goal from Ri Sang Chol wrapped up the commanding win. In the quarterfinals, DPR Korea eliminated defending champions China 2-1 in extra-time while Tajikistan ousted Korea Republic 1-0. For Tajikistan, the match was as good as over in the first half after DPR Korea imposed themselves to collect a two-goal lead.

The East Asians were in full flow in the opening 45 minutes and tied down the Tajiks with their excellent coordination and open passing so much so that the Central Asians, who exhibited their awesome firepower by slotting eight goals in the four previous games, could manage only one shot on goal. Tournament joint top scorer Davrondzhon Tukhtasunov was a pale shadow of himself and unable to find any width upfront. This was in a sharp contrast with what DPR Korea did. They were full of running and super fit, and most importantly, not afraid to shoot from any angle. With captain An Il Bom and O Jin Hyok calling the shots in the engine room, they never allowed the Tajiks reasonable ball possession which would have resulted in a meaningful move. The Koreans went agonisingly close to opening the scoring as early as the fourth minute when Han Hyok’s cross-cum-shot thudded against the upper side of the Tajikistan goal, with goalkeeper Mirali Murodov well beaten. Murodov was obviously not on form today and an uncharacteristic howler in the 18th minute almost resulted in a goal. He rushed out from his goal without threat, and was lucky to back-track quickly to save a beautiful lob from Ri Myong Jun. Murodov made amends four minutes later when he punched out a thunderbolt from Pak Ji Song.

However, the Tajik goalkeeper finally succumbed to the constant pressure in the 25th minute when An Il Bom nodded in an unstoppable header off a Park Ji Song assist from the left.

In the 37th minute, DPR Korea ran riot again. Murodov failed to make a clean save of Ri Sang Chol’s 25-yard scorcher and the ball popped out of his hands and trickled into the net. The shell-shocked Tajiks’ only shot on goal came in the 44th minute, but Farkhod Vasiev, the hero of the semifinal encounter against Korea Republic, contrived to fire straight into the waiting arms of the DPR Korea shot-stopper O Mun Song.

DPR Korea picked up where they let off in the second half with yet another rock solid display with An Il Bom bagging his double, his third goal in the competition, in the 53rd minute with a 15-yard drive. DPR Korea coach Kim Mun Chol expressed his delight with the win and the manner in which it was achieved. “Although we lost in the opener (2-1 to Saudi Arabia), we improve from time to time, and I am happy with the players’ reaction and proud of their performance to date,” said Kim. About their rivals in the Final, Kim predicted a tough battle against Japan. “Japan is not an easy team to beat but we are ready. I expect a tough match on Sunday.”

“DPR Korea is a very strong team, physically and mentally,” said Tajik coach Pulod Qodirov. “We lost to a better team today.” “We went flat out in the last game against Korea Republic and this took its toll. We were not able to recover in time. “