|
|
|
|
| AFC Challenge Cup |
|
|
|
| Pak powers Koreans to victory |
 |
| Pak Song-chol and his team-mates celebrate a goal in DPR Korea's 4-0 win over Myanmar. |
NEW DELHI – Pak Song-chol netted a first-half hat-trick to steer DPR Korea to an emphatic 4-0 victory over Myanmar on Wednesday as the East Asians claimed third place in the AFC Challenge Cup.
Pak took his individual tally to a tournament-leading six with two early free-kicks and a 43rd minute penalty, awarded after Han Win Aung felled So Kwang-chol in the area.
Han’s poor tackle resulted in his second yellow card from UAE referee Khalid Jassim Al Senan and left Myanmar having to play out the remainder of the match with ten men.
Myanmar had started brightly enough but their hopes quickly faded after Pak struck twice in the space of two minutes.
They threatened as early as the second minute when Myanmar's Yaza Win Thein crossed into the area for Yan Paing but the latter produced a weak header that goalkeeper Ju Kwang-min comfortably dealt with.
Yaza had a chance himself immediately afterwards when a loose ball fell to the midfielder on the right but his poor strike hit a defender.
Tun Tun Win extended goalkeeper Ju in the 15th minute but by then, Pak had already struck twice at the other end.
He claimed his first in the ninth minute when Pak Chol-min was brought down just outside the area and the forward curled a free-kick around the wall and beyond Myanmar's second choice keeper Kyaw Zin Htet.
Two minutes later, Pak doubled both his and DPR Korea’s tally, this time with another neatly struck free-kick from the right of the area that eluded a host of defenders before finding the back of the net.
The Koreans continued to threaten throughout the first period, Pak missing out on a third goal by a whisker when he shot just over from close range in the 21st minute.
Ri Kwang-hyok's angled header from So’s cross also flew narrowly wide before Pak did eventually claim his hat-trick from the spot after So was felled in the area and Han subsequently received his marching orders.
Ro then headed home from close range seven minutes after the break as Myanmar continued to leak goals but Pak was denied a fourth goal two minutes from time when another penalty was stopped by Kyaw.
|
|
|
|
|
|
