Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Singapore: DPR Korea and Thailand recorded big wins as the qualifying tournament for the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship kicked off with the opening matches in Group H on Wednesday as the North Koreans cruised to a 7-0 win over Cambodia while the Thais downed group hosts Singapore 5-0 in the later fixture at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
Reigning U-16 champions DPR Korea scored the first goal in the qualifying campaign for next year’s final in India with just six minutes played when midfielder Kung Jin-song netted the first of his hat-trick.
Kwon Nam-hyok doubled the East Asians’ lead in the 29th minute before Cambodia keeper Heng Tina was picking the ball out of the back of the net for a third time in the first half when Kim Chung-jin bagged the first of his brace two minutes before the half-time interval.
It was 4-0 five minutes into the second half when substitute Kim Kyong-sok, a 29th minute replacement for Paek Kwang-min, got his name on the scoresheet before Kung Jing-song grabbed his second and DPK Korea’s fifth just three minutes later.
Kim Chung-jin netted his second on the hour-mark before the scoring was complete fittingly by the youngster who got the ball rolling, with Kung Jin-song completing his hat-trick and the 7-0 victory in the 72nd minute.
The defending champions had thrown down the gauntlet and Thailand - winners of the competition in 1998 - rose to the challenge against hosts Singapore in Wednesday’s later fixture.
Korawich Tasa matched the hat-trick Kung Jing-song had scored in the earlier match, opening his account in the 18th minute before a first-half double from Russamee Jinnawat (28th and 45th) gave the Thais a commending 3-0 lead to take into the interval.
Korawich netted his second a minute shy of the hour-mark and completed his hat-trick and the 5-0 win in the 73rd minute, with the Thais unable to find the three goals needed that would see them leapfrog the North Koreans and end Matchday 1 top of the Group H table.
Eleven group winners and four best second-placed teams will qualify for the finals, with hosts India receiving an automatic qualification.
Should India finish top of their qualifying group or among the four best second-placed teams, the fifth best second-placed nation will qualify for the final competition.
Photo: Voxsports