North Korean Club Defeats South Korean Team 2-1 in AFC Women's Champions League Semifinal
Naegohyang Women's FC of North Korea defeated Suwon FC Women of South Korea 2-1 in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation Women's Champions League on May 20 at Suwon Stadium. The match marked the first meeting on South Korean soil between women's football clubs from the two Koreas.
upi.comNaegohyang Women's FC of North Korea defeated Suwon FC Women of South Korea 2-1 in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation Women's Champions League on May 20 at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, 30 kilometers south of Seoul. Suwon FC Women held a 10-1 advantage in shot attempts during the first half and struck the goal post twice.
Haruhi Suzuki scored for Suwon in the 49th minute to give the South Korean side a 1-0 lead. Choe Kum-ok equalized for Naegohyang with a header in the 55th minute. Kim Kyong-yong scored the winning goal for Naegohyang in the 67th minute.
Women were awarded a penalty in the 75th minute after a video review, but captain Ji So-yun's shot went wide. Naegohyang advanced to the final against Tokyo Verdy Beleza on Saturday, with $1 million at stake. The match drew large crowds despite heavy rain. South Korean civic groups attended with flags and banners supporting the North Korean club.
Korea has won consecutive FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup titles in 2024 and 2025, along with the U-20 Women's World Cup in 2024. Naegohyang includes players from those national teams. Ji So-yun said after the match that her team dominated a North Korean side for the first time in her career. Choe Kum-ok stated that team belief helped Naegohyang recover from a difficult first half.
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