Two Koreas Reach World Cup for 1st Time
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Both Koreas will play in the FIFA World Cup for the first time as North Korea's scoreless draw with Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia early Thursday morning (KST) secured the North's first World Cup appearance since 1966.
North Korean national team manager Kim Jong-hun was in tears after the match as he hugged his fellow coaches, as the players embraced each other and celebrated the historic moment on the pitch. Forward Jung Dae-se took off his shirt and cried.
Some from below the 38th parallel offered their congratulations to the North.
``I am glad that the North could advance to the World Cup with us. I hope both of us will get good results in South Africa,'' Lim Soo-hyang, a football fan who lives in Seoul, told The Korea Times, Thursday.
Others, however, said they could not be happy for the North, given the political hostility between the two nations.
``I cannot understand why some Koreans are happy for the North's success. I despise the North Korean leadership as they make nuclear weapons,'' a fan posted on a Web site.
North Korea last appeared in the World Cup in 1966 in England, where it advanced to the quarterfinals after a 1-0 upset of Italy in the second round.
It will be the second time that both halves of a divided nation will play in the same World Cup. West and East Germany both played at the 1974 tournament in West Germany.
North Korean goalkeeper Ri Myong-guk made several quality saves to maintain the scoreless draw, including a huge save on Yasser Al Qhatani in the first half.
The North Koreans also survived the sending off of Kim Yong Jun late in the match.
North Korea finishes the qualifying round with a record of three wins, three draws and two defeats. They did it with defense, allowing just five goals overall, and just one in its last five matches.http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/sports/2009/06/136_47074.html
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This is so weird... North Korea isn't known for having a proper football league, almost all their players are unknown to the world, not sure if any plays outside North Korea at all... Or are they even paid 50% of S League stars. Yet they are strong enough to reach the WC...
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lolx
Seem like South Korea Australia and Japan are regluar customer for WC
now second time come in is North Korea.....
How i wish is Iran or Saudi or IRAQ
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NK vs SK how?? shiok man.....then referee from USA..... any dispute....then war already
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Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
NK vs SK how?? shiok man.....then referee from USA..... any dispute....then war already
They already played that match.
In the match at Seoul, NK claimed they got food poisoned.
I wanna see NK vs USA.
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Originally posted by omgukilledkenny:
They already played that match.
In the match at Seoul, NK claimed they got food poisoned.
I wanna see NK vs USA.
lolx i wanna see Iraq VS USA -
So Iran or Saudi still got chance for a playoff with New Zealand right?
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What will you if you are a football player and your government tells you :QUALIFY or else we will tie u to our next nuclear bomb at the next nuclear test.
I think they would play for their lives.
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The $$$ they get to reach the Finals ..... hey man , can saved a lot of Nth Koreans from hunger .
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Originally posted by Poolman:
The $$$ they get to reach the Finals ..... hey man , can saved a lot of Nth Koreans from hunger .
If they can?
They will maybe be out from Group Stage -
Originally posted by Poolman:
The $$$ they get to reach the Finals ..... hey man , can saved a lot of Nth Koreans from hunger .
they use the money build more bombs nia.
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Originally posted by omgukilledkenny:
they use the money build more bombs nia.
not bombs, is their missiles
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Originally posted by Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1):
If they can?
They will maybe be out from Group Stage
once u qualified , the reward already quite lucrative , no need go into next stage . -
beware of nuclear bombs if any teams dare to score against NK
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Iraq can also win asian cup. I guess these are called talented football nations in asia.
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quite a sad case that some of you link politics with sport...
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NK nuke SK.
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Originally posted by zocoss:
This is so weird... North Korea isn't known for having a proper football league, almost all their players are unknown to the world, not sure if any plays outside North Korea at all... Or are they even paid 50% of S League stars. Yet they are strong enough to reach the WC...
They reached QF of 1966 WC, beat Italy...that was their 1st WC participation...a giant killer... -
Originally posted by Poolman:
once u qualified , the reward already quite lucrative , no need go into next stage .
lolx if Singapore will to qualified hahahahahaha -
i am happy for them.
sports and politics are two different things.
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Originally posted by dragg:
i am happy for them.
sports and politics are two different things.
Gotta tell that to Kim Jong Il...2nd Rd North Korea Vs South... North will win cos the day before the match, North will be aiming its missiles pointing at Seoul...