In mid-March, Kim Kyong-yong played a starring role in helping Korea DPR secure qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™. Two months later, on a sun-kissed afternoon in Suwon, the clinical forward was once again the difference as Naegohyang Women’s FC defeated Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 to win the AFC Women’s Champions League.
Title-success in the second edition of the continental showpiece has also qualified the Korea DPR powerhouse for the sophomore edition of the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup™.
With Beleza having thrashed Naegohyang 4-0 in the group stage last year, many had pegged the Japanese side as title favourites. The Pyongyang power had though reeled off four straight wins thereafter to saunter into the final against an undefeated Beleza side that had matched their record of conceding just the once after that group opener.
Things were set-up then for a tight decider and that was indeed how it played out, with Naegohyang making the breakthrough at the end of an opening stanza that had provided little in the way of clear-cut chances. The goal owed much to the work of Jong Kum, who collected a lofted ball, brushed off a Yuna Aoki challenge and squared for strike partner Kim, who took a touch to set up the shot she swept past Shu Oba from adjacent to the penalty spot.
The second half was a similarly tight affair, with a pair of headers from Kim and wing-back Ri Myong-gum, the former well saved by Oba and the latter off-target, the closest that either side came to changing the complexion of the clash.
The 1-0 win securing Naegohyang’s passage through to the Women’s Champions Cup, where they will face the Oceania champions in the first round of the tournament.
What they said….
“I feel proud to have been named the player of the tournament as a Naegohyang player. Although our players may lack so-called match experience, we have improved a lot as a team. Through this match, we will continue working to improve our weaknesses and make sure we achieve good results on the world stage.”
Kim Kyong-yong, Naegohang forward and player of the tournament
“We are a team with a short history, having been founded only 14 years ago. Now we have reached a historic moment, advancing to the world stage as Asia’s No1 team. It is difficult to put these emotions into words. We will use the experience gained from this tournament and do our best to achieve even greater development and results on bigger stages in the future.”
Ri Yu Il, Naegohang coach
Images courtesy of the AFC
