The DPR Korea team poses after winning the AFC U-16 Women's Championship. AFC photo by SIMON YAP

KUALA LUMPUR: DPR Korea crowned themselves young queens of Asia after they beat Japan 3-0 in the final of the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship at MPPJ Stadium on Saturday.

Jon Myong-hwa helped herself to two goals and the tournament’s leading scorer Yun Hyon-yi scored the other as the Koreans, who led 1-0 at half-time, dethroned the Japanese as Asian under-16 champions.

DPR Korea proved themselves as the best team in the tournament with four straight wins, including a 1-0 triumph over the Japanese in their Group B opener. They also beat Thailand 7-1 before overcoming Korea Republic 4-1 in the semi-finals.

Japan have some of the most skilful players in the tournament, but their trickery was not enough to knock the physically imposing and disciplined DPR Koreans off their stride.

The consolation for Japan is that they join DPR Korea in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand. With a couple of 13-year-olds in the team, the Japanese can only get stronger and should be a formidable outfit come the New Zealand finals.

DPR Korea coach Ri Un-ham dedicated the victory to the country’s leader Kim Jong-il.

“The players are actually not so good but because they have loyalty in their hearts Korea and General Kim Jong-il, they were able to win,” said Ri.

“Whenever a Korean team wins in an international tournament like this, the people and General Kim Jong-il are very happy.”

Japanese coach Hiroshi Yoshida had vowed to keep playing attractive football no matter what the circumstances and he kept to his word in the final.

“We need to improve our technical skills, physical ability and speed,” said Yoshida. “If we can do that, we can become a good team.

“I am not happy with our loss today but the good thing to come out of it is that we can see where we need to improve.

“Korea are physically bigger than us and we need to learn to play against bigger opposition.”

Indeed, many of Japan’s excellent build-up moves came undone because they were unable to compete physically.

DPR Korea took the lead after only nine minutes when Ho Un-byol’s free kick crashed off the crossbar and prolific striker Yun Hyon-hi was on hand to head in her seventh goal of the tournament.

Japan were determined to not let this match run away from them. They set about pounding the Korean goal and, though they came close, were struggling to create clear-cut chances.

At the same time, DPR Korea were not prepared to sit on their one-goal lead and big striker Jon Myong-hwa was a constant threat to the Japanese defence.

Japan finished the first half stronger and almost managed to score from a corner but the Koreans held on and scrambled the ball to safety.

The Japanese did most of the attacking early in the second half, with Takako Sugiyama on target with a free kick in the ninth minute but Korean goalkeeper Kim Su-jong safely held on.

Just two minutes later, DPR Korea delivered the killer blow. A cross from the right evaded everybody, except for Jon standing on the edge of the six-yard box.

Her weak shot caught Japanese goalkeeper Saki Nakamura off guard as she failed to stop the ball sneaking over the line.

Japan refused to lie down and in the 17th minute, Mana Iwabuchi forced Kim into a great save, diving to her right.

Three minutes later, DPR Korea had two great chances to put the match beyond doubt as Japan left their defence exposed in the search for goals.

Jon was set free on the right and Nakamura made a brilliant stop at her feet. But the ball went straight to Ho, whose powerful shot smashed off the crossbar.

However, Jon was not to be denied five minutes later as she pounced on a defensive mix-up to race in and score past a helpless Nakamura for her second goal.

The goal was a major setback for the Japanese, who continued to battle away but were never in a position to claw back three goals.

In the end, it was DPR Korea, backed by a noisy group of drum-beating fans, who were saluted as the best under-16 women’s team in Asia.