The Nae Go Hyang Women's Football Team from North Korea has claimed the title of the AFC Women's Champions League by defeating Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0.
According to Yonhap News, the decisive match took place on May 23 at the Suwon Sports Complex, where team captain Kim Kyung-young scored the winning goal in the 44th minute.
With this victory, Nae Go Hyang becomes the first North Korean team to win this tournament, including its predecessor, the AFC Women's Club Championship. The team also secured a prize of $1 million (approximately 15 billion won). The AFC Women's Champions League is the premier tournament for women's club football in Asia and was officially launched last season.
Nae Go Hyang advanced to the final after a comeback victory against Suwon FC Women in the semifinals on May 20, where Kim Kyung-young also scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 win.
This marks the first time in 12 years that a North Korean football player has visited South Korea since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. It is also the first time a North Korean women's club team has competed in South Korea.
In their group stage opener last November in Myanmar, Nae Go Hyang suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Tokyo Verdy. However, they redeemed themselves in the final, lifting the championship trophy. Kim Kyung-young, who scored the winning goals in both the semifinals and the final, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
During the match, Nae Go Hyang initially struggled against Tokyo Verdy's aggressive pressing but quickly regained composure, maintaining a competitive flow.
In the 16th minute, Tokyo Verdy's forward Shio Koshiyu's right-footed shot was saved by goalkeeper Park Joo-kyung, and the defense cleared the danger.
Although Nae Go Hyang had only 43% possession in the first half, they capitalized on their opportunities. In the 44th minute, Jeong Geum-yi won a challenge against the opposing defense and set up Kim Kyung-young, who scored with a right-footed shot from near the penalty spot into the bottom right corner. This was Nae Go Hyang's first shot on target of the match.
In the second half, Nae Go Hyang focused on solid defense while executing counterattacks. In the 49th minute, Kim Kyung-young headed a cross from Jeong Geum-yi, but it was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 70th minute, Ri Myong-kum's header also failed to result in a goal.
Tokyo Verdy attempted to respond with substitutions but could not break through Nae Go Hyang's defense. Frequent mistakes hindered their attacking rhythm, ultimately leading to their defeat at the Asian summit.
Meanwhile, it has been 12 years since a North Korean football player visited South Korea, and this is the first time a North Korean women's club team has come to the country.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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