DPR Korea defeats Tajikistan in 2014 WC qualifiers

A solitary Pak Nam-choi strike was enough to give DPR Korea a 1-0 win over Tajikistan on Tuesday to give the 2010 FIFA World Cup participants their first win in the third qualifying round for Brazil 2014. The North Koreans went into the match looking to bounce back from their last-gasp defeat to reigning AFC Asian Cup champions Japan last Thursday, when Maya Yoshida’s goal four minutes into second-half stoppage-time denied them a valuable point from their opening Group C game in Saitama. Influential DPR Korea striker Jong Tae-se had labelled Tajikistan the weakest side in the group and that the Chollima would ‘have to win by three or four goals’. And the Bochum forward’s pre-match proclamation sounded somewhat prophetic as the home side took the lead through April 25 midfielder Pak with 14 minutes at the Yanggkado Stadium played. However the North Koreans, who were without the suspended Pak Kwang-ryong after the 18-year-old Switzerland-based striker was red carded against Japan, couldn’t add to their tally and had to settle for the narrow one-goal victory. DPR Korea return to World Cup qualifying action on October 11 when they host 2011 AFC Asian Cup semi-finalists Uzbekistan in Pyongyang while the Tajiks, had been handed a lifeline by FIFA after Syria, who had defeated the Tajiks 6-1 on aggregate in the second qualifying round, were kicked out of the competition having fielded an ineligible player, face a tough trip to Japan as Brazil 2014 qualifying round three reaches the halfway stage.