An action-packed moment from the AFC Youth Championship 2006 Final between DPR Korea and Japan. AFC photo by Stanley Chou

By R. Ravi Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR: The 34th edition of the AFC Youth Championship got the grand finale it deserved – a gruelling battle settled by penalties between Japan and DPR Korea – after two weeks of top-notch football action.

Some of the continent’s brightest football prodigies graced the stage at both Bangalore and Kolkata, earning kudos for their dazzling skills, high level of competitiveness, attitude towards fair play, and their never-ending desire to take the game to the apogee of success.

That Indian football fans were in for a treat was never in doubt and 89 goals in 32 matches, which works out to a decent 2.78 goals per game, reinforced the thrilling and aggressive nature of the competition. One of the semifinals and the final itself meandered into extra time and then penalties.

While a top-four finish, which also earns the semifinalists an invitation to the FIFA U-20 World Cup, has generally been the preserve of the traditional superpowers like Korea Republic and Japan, unheralded DPR Korea and Jordan, both figuring in the tournament proper after a long absence, stormed onto the podium this time, pointing to the rapidly narrowing gap between the top tier and the others.

No wonder then AFC General Secretary Dato Peter Velappan commented that the “face of Asian youth football has changed beyond recognition.”

If it was a time to make the most of for some aspirants, others like ASEAN outfits Vietnam and Malaysia , hosts India , Central Asian debutants Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan found the going too tough for their comfort.

Newcomers Australia were hit by a rash of suspensions which destroyed their game-plan and left the media asking major questions of their players’ big tournament temperament.

Temperament, however, did not prove to be Iraq ’s stumbling block. The West Asians’ preparation for the competition was severely handicapped by the war back home but they gritted their teeth and went on to win hearts with a courageous display which took them as far as the quarterfinals.

Japan failed to break their long-running jinx in the Final and young gun Tsukasa Umesaki joined a long procession of big names who have erred from the spot, consigning their teams to embarrassing defeats.

Victory was doubly sweet for DPR Korea, who had lost 4-3 on penalties to the Korea Republic in 1990 which was the last time they figured in the Asian youth showpiece, as they avenged their ouster from the qualifying by Japan and also the defeat of their U-17 team in the AFC U-17 Championship 2006 in September.

The hard work, however, does not end here for DPR Korea, who will take their appointed place in the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2007 as worthy Asian champions, flanked by Japan , Korea Republic and Jordan .

In fact, this is where the real uphill trek starts for these four teams and they have until next June to iron out any chinks in their armour before embarking on their quest for glory on the world stage in Canada .