S. Korea faces off N. Korea at AFC U-16 finals

The future of South and North Korean soccer players will have a showdown. The Korean national U-16 (under 16) male team will hold the final of the Asian Football Council (AFC) Championship against North Korea at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand at 8 p.m. Saturday (Korea Time). It is the first time that the two Koreas hold a match in the final round of the championship. If the South defeats the North, it will acquire the trophy for the first time in 12 years after 2002.

South Korea only acquired the AFC U-16 championship twice, in 1986 and 2002. The South Korean team currently boasts strongest capability ever, but it cannot be complacent and negligent, because North Korea is also a fairly strong team. The North won the title in 2010, and was the runner-up at the 2004 and 2006 events. In their matches at the previous championships, South and North Korea kept tight balance with the South having one win, one draw and one loss. Among the North Korean players, the South Korean team should be wary of the North’s Han Gwang-seong, who has three goals in this year’s championship, and Lee Cheol-seong, the goalie who blocked two goals in the shootout of the semifinal match against Australia.

South Korea is pinning hope in stellar performance by Lee Seong-woo (Barcelona Juvenil A), who has emerged as star player at this year’s event. Lee will challenge to win the most valuable player award and the top scorer. Lee, who has had five goals and four assists in four consecutive games, will highly likely acquire the MVP title, if South Korea wins the championship. As he is leading by two points over Han Kwang-seong of the North, who is ranking second in score tally, he also stands a high chance to receive the top scorer title as well.

Lee said, “I always think of winning the championship. If we are successful, I wish to win individual awards,” in revealing his ambition to win personal honors. Meanwhile, Chung Mong-kyu, chairman of the Korea Football Association, will fly to Thailand, and watch the match in person to encourage South Korean players.