DPRK's Naegohyang keeps focus on football ahead of AFC semifinal in S. Korea

Xinhua
19 May 2026, 19:17 GMT+10

SEOUL, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Head coach Ri Yu Il said Tuesday that DPRK side Naegohyang Women's FC will "focus only on the game" ahead of its AFC Women's Champions League semifinal against South Korea's Suwon FC Women.

The Pyongyang-based club arrived in South Korea on Sunday, marking the first visit by DPRK athletes to South Korea for a sports competition in nearly eight years since the International Table Tennis Federation World Tour Grand Finals in December 2018.

Naegohyang will face Suwon at 7 p.m. local time on Wednesday, May 20 at Suwon Stadium.

"We came here to play the match. We will focus only on the game," Ri told a pre-match press conference when asked about local support from a cheering squad for the team.

Naegohyang is regarded as one of the favorites for the title after defeating Suwon 3-0 in the group stage in November last year.

"We will do our best to win," Naegohyang captain Kim Kyong Yong said.

The winner will advance to Saturday's final at the same venue against either Australia's Melbourne City FC or Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza.

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