North Korea - Turkmenistan in AFC Cup final

Top class soccer expected from both teams:

Bernard PERERA

North Korea will clash with Turkmenistan in the final of the AFC Challenge Cup today at the Sugathadasa stadium under lights. Before the commencement of the final the third place playoff too will kick off at the same venue at 4 p.m. Today’s final will also see both teams from group.

North Koreans who have qualified to play in the forthcoming World Cup Soccer Championship in South Africa came for the the AFC Challenge Cup as favorites to win the Cup. In fact prior to the tournament coach JoTong Sop said that their main target is to win the cup before reaching the Asia Cup in Qatar.

The Koreans from the day of the arrival did a fine job to remain unbeaten in Group ‘B’. Before reaching the final they over came India and Kyrgyzstan and drew with Turkmenistan.

It is interesting to see how the team will clash today in the final as both Turkmenistan and Korea drew their preliminary round game one all.

This factor shows that both team are equally balanced and the game will be of high interest for the teams. Koreans too had a fine record during the preliminary round and they too will look for a repeat performance to pose a threat to favorites in this game.

Korean strikers have done the job for the team have this advantage scoring eight goals from three games before the semifinals.

Turkmenistan on the side do not have bigger target with their strikers making only three goals from three outings proving the strikers of the Korean team is more accurate and the Turkmenistanis have a tough task ahead of them halting the front runners from scoring in the early stage of the game.

If this can be achieved by the Turkmenistanis then the Koreans will have to fight all the way overcome the task.

Meanwhile the Turkmenistanis too will go flat out to take reverse the preliminary result over the Koreans.

If the Turkmenistan strikers find form and make early breakthroughs to score and take the lead they can put pressure on the hot favorites to go on the defense rather than the attack. The result cannot be predicted right now as both teams are rearing to go flat out in this game.