North Korea enter quarters after 2-2 draw with Thailand

North Korea squeezed into the quarter-finals of the AFC U23 Championship on Tuesday as a 2-2 draw with Thailand was just enough to secure second place in Group B behind winners Japan. North Korea will now lock horns with Qatar in the quarter-finals, the buoyant hosts having cruised into the last eight-stage after winning all their Group A matches.Three teams were still in with a chance of joining the East Asians in the last eight on a thrilling final day of Group B action, and with Japan maintaining their 100% record wit a 2-1 defeat of Saudi Arabia, North Korea’s draw with Thailand at the Grand Hamad Stadium saw Yun Jong-su’s side secure second place ahead of the Saudis and Thais courtesy of the greater number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned as all three sides ended their group stage campaign with two points.Kim Yong-il opened the scoring for the North Koreans before Narubadin Weerawatnodom levelled, only for Yun Il-gwang (pictured) to give Yun Jong-su’s side the lead at the half-time break. Chanathip Songkrasin claimed a second equaliser for the Thais 12 minutes from time, but it was not enough to take Kiatisuk Senamuang’s side into the quarter-finals.“We had a very fierce match because both teams had to win if they wanted to qualify,” said Yun. “Both teams’ put in a very good performance.“We had a lot of chances in the first half and in the second half but I never thought we were going to lose this game because I trusted the players and they did their best to the end so I had no worries about that. We knew if we go to the next round we will play Qatar, the hosts. It’s going to be a very tough match all of the players will have to show their best in terms of mentality and physical condition.”North Korea, knowing victory would guarantee them a place in the knockout phase of the competition, started in lively fashion, with Kim Yong-il constantly putting the Thai defence under pressure.Inside the first six minutes, goalkeeper Somporn Yos twice denied the 21-year-old before also collecting Im Ju-song’s eighth-minute attempt.But by the 17th minute, North Korea were in front, and it was no surprise that it was Kim who claimed it as he rose fractionally ahead of Sompron to meet Ri Un-chol’s centre to head the ball into the top corner.The Thais had been second-best throughout the first half hour, with only Perapat Notechaiya’s scuffed effort in the 23rd minute going anywhere near troubling North Korea, but in the 30th minute Kiatisuk’s side were level.Perapat bundled his way through the North Korea defence before his attempted shot was deflected off the back of Kang Il-nam’s leg and into the path of Narubadin, who slid in to score.With seconds remaining in the half, however, North Korea made sure they went into the break with their lead restored when Yun Il-gwang’s close-range effort was helped over the line by Thossawat Limwanasa after Pak Myong-song had headed Ri Un-chol’s free kick into Yun Il-gwang’s path.North Korea came out for the second half looking to kill off the game, and Yun’s side were to rue a series of missed chances.Jang Ok-chol and So Kyong-jin both forced fine saves out of Somporn in the first 10 minutes of the second period, the second seeing the goalkeeper acrobatically tip the ball over the bar.Adison Promrak then did just enough to block Kim Yong-il as he raced in on goal in the 66th minute, and the same player was just off target seven minutes later.Those missed chances were to prove costly for the North Koreans, however, as, in the 78th minute Thailand pulled level when Chanathip fired off from just outside the area, the ball moving enough in the air to confuse goalkeeper An Tae-song.Both sides pushed for the winner, with the Thais cranking up the pressure at the end, but North Korea held on to progress by the narrowest of margins. “I would like to congratulate North Korea for going through to the next round,” said Kiatisuk. “I would like to express that the Thai team had three hard and really competitive games but we showed that we can fight at this tournament and we played with great motivation. Thailand played some great games in this tournament and we showed we can play in this kind of competition with good spirit. It was a good experience for our players and we’re looking forward to the next games and the next tournament.”