North and South Korea finally come face to face — on the soccer field
Tokyo — North Korea fell to a 1-0 defeat by South Korea on the football pitch on Tuesday in a full-blooded international, given added spice by simmering political tensions between the two countries. A freak own-goal by defender Ri Yong-chol 25 minutes from time proved the difference in a tempestuous East Asian championship clash bristling with testosterone and pent-up emotion. The result dashed any faint hopes North Korea had of winning the four-team tournament after they were sunk by a deflected late goal in a 1-0 loss to hosts Japan at the weekend. "It was a special game for us — special for the players and for the country," North Korea coach Jørn Andersen, the former Norway striker told reporters. "I think, for the first 30 minutes, the players were a little bit nervous. They weren’t as free, like the game against Japan. We were unlucky to lose against Japan but I’m less satisfied today. I don’t know what the whole reason is that we didn’t play well." Studiously avoiding eye cont...
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