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SINGAPORE: The centre line at Jalan Besar Stadium was the equivalent of the 38th parallel Tuesday night dividing North and South Korea, as the two countries fought for supremacy on the pitch in the under-14 football competition at the Asian Youth Games.
The South Koreans came out on top, strolling to a 3-0 victory over their tired-looking northern neighbours, to take pole position in Group B and confirm their place in the semi-finals.
North Korea will face Laos tomorrow requiring a win — and for South Korea to do them a favour and beat Saudi Arabia — to pip the Middle Eastern giants to a semi-final spot.
“We feel sorry for them, because we’re the same people, but a football match is a football match,” said Suh Myeong Won, scorer of the South Koreans’ second goal.
Even at this stage, his team-mate Lee Hui Chan will probably walk away with the goal of the tournament award, after his 30-metre screamer bulged the North Korean net for the third goal in the 70th min.
Both sides played the game in the best possible spirit, and it continued even after the 80 minutes were over.
One South Korean player was spotted waving to his opponents as their bus was leaving the stadium, and a few of them waved back.
The camaraderie between the two teams was evident, when South Korean coach Chung Jung Yong assured his neighbours that despite securing qualification, he will not field a weakened side when they take on Saudi Arabia.
“There will be no resting of players, we will do our best to win the next game,” he vowed.
- TODAY/yb
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