technical report and statistics -...

Technical Reportand Statistics

AFC PRESIDENTFOREWORD FROM

On behalf of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) we must offer our congratulations to DPR Korea for their continued success in women’s age group football – adding the AFC Women’s U-16 Championship to their FIFA world titles at Under-17 and Under-20.

Their victory over the spirited Korea Republic team in the final was another example of the dominance that DPR Korea’s women’s teams exert at this level of the game and is reflected in the pages of this excellent Technical Report.

I am sure that many of the players we have seen in the AFC Women’s U-16 Championship will graduate in the years ahead to grace the AFC Women’s Asian Cup and also shine on the world stage, starting with the FIFA Women’s U-17 Championship in Uruguay late in 2018.

We wish DPR Korea every success in defending their title in Uruguay where Asia will also be represented by Korea Republic and Japan.

We thank Football Association of Thailand for being such outstanding hosts of the tournament and their LOC for ensuring that the event went smoothly both on and off the field. We also thank the match officials, the administrators and staff for their commitment to the event.

The AFC also recognises the contribution of the Member Associations whose teams competed in the AFC Women’s U-16 Championship and we are grateful for their commitment to excellence through participation in AFC events.

I extend my thanks to the AFC Technical Committee, the AFC Women’s Committee, the AFC Technical Department and the Technical Study Group for their contributions to what I believe is a most informative report.

Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al KhalifaAFC President

CONTENTSTOURNAMENT OVERVIEW

TECHNICAL TRENDS

RESULTS &STATISTICS

TALKING POINTS

TEAM PROFILES

PLAYERSTO WATCH

GOALSCORING ANALYSIS

COACHESTALKING POINT

REFEREES EXTRA-TIME

For the second time, Thailand played host to the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship, as the future stars of the Asian women’s game battled for continental glory and FIFA U-17 World Cup qualification in 16 matches over 14 days in Chonburi, Thailand.

The AFC technical team at the tournament was formed by Chan Yuenting (HKG), Katayoun Khosrowyar (IR Iran), and coordinated by AFC Head of Women’s Football Bai Lili. Their observations have formed the basis of the technical analysis which follows, under the guidance of AFC technical Director, Andy Roxburgh. In addition to providing a permanent record of the Championship, the Asian Football Confederation Technical Department aims to share useful information with coaches working at the development level of the game.

Tournament Review

After a knockout stage of the highest quality, the stage was set for a memorable final between reigning champions DPR Korea and their neighbours, and 2009 winners, Korea Republic at Chonburi Stadium.

DPR Korea, coached by Song Sung-gwon, had been in imperious form for much of the tournament, and showed their quality once more in the final, recording a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Ri Su-jong and Kim Kyong-yong.

The latter was the individual star of the competition, topping the scoring charts with a superb nine goals in just five matches and, perhaps unsurprisingly, receiving the award for Most Valuable Player.

DPR Korea’s triumph follows their 2015 AFC U-16 Women’s Championship crown, as well as 2016 World Cup titles in both the U-17 and U-20 age categories, re-affirming the country’s status as the global leader in women’s youth football.

Despite their defeat in the final, Korea Republic also did themselves proud in Thailand. Overcoming a number of injuries, Hur Jung-jae’s team qualified for the U-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time in eight years, and produced the upset of the tournament when they outlasted the highly-fancied Japan in a penalty shootout following a gripping semi-final.

Japan had arrived as the only nation to have lifted the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship trophy three times, and were among early favourites for the title when they came from a goal behind to beat DPR Korea 2-1 in the group stage, but the Young Nadeshiko were conquered when Korean captain Cho Mi-jin stroked home the decisive spot kick after the match had ended 1-1.

Despite the defeat, Japan still secured a place at the U-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay by virtue of their third place finish, which was confirmed with a 1-0 victory over China PR in front of a tournament record crowd of 1,677.

Earlier in the tournament, Laos made history by appearing in the finals for the first time, although they found the going difficult and finished at the bottom of Group A, while Bangladesh returned after a 12-year absence and won the respect of many with their performances.

After being on the end of a rampant DPR Korea in their opening match, Bangladesh were competitive in a 3-0 defeat against Japan, and led Australia before ultimately falling to a 3-2 defeat in their final match.

Host nation Thailand started the tournament brightly with a win over Laos, only to be eliminated by defeats to Korea Republic and China PR.

Once the tournament drew to a close, DPR Korea, Korea Republic and Japan turned their focus to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup – a tournament Asia has dominated, winning four of the five previous editions.

SECTION 2

SECTION 2

Results and Statistics

TEAM P W D L F A GD PTS

CHINA P.R. 3 2 1 0 15 3 12 7

KOREA REPUBLIC 3 2 1 0 12 2 10 7

THAILAND 3 1 0 2 4 9 -5 3

LAOS 3 0 0 3 0 17 -17 0

TEAM P W D L F A GD PTS

JAPAN 3 3 0 0 10 1 9 9

DPR KOREA 3 2 0 1 17 2 15 6

AUSTRALIA 3 1 0 2 3 14 -11 3

BANGLADESH 3 0 0 3 2 15 -13 0

Date Time Team A Score Team B

10 Sep, 17 17:00:00 CHINA P.R. 2-2 (1-0) KOREA REPUBLIC

10 Sep, 17 19:00:00 THAILAND 3-0 (2-0) LAOS

13 Sep, 17 17:00:00 LAOS 0-7 (0-3) CHINA P.R.

13 Sep, 17 19:00:00 KOREA REPUBLIC 3-0 (0-0) THAILAND

16 Sep, 17 18:00:00 THAILAND 1-6 (0-3) CHINA P.R.

16 Sep, 17 18:00:00 KOREA REPUBLIC 7-0 (3-0) LAOS


11 Sep, 17 17:00:00 DPR KOREA 9-0 (4-0) BANGLADESH

11 Sep, 17 19:00:00 JAPAN 5-0 (1-0) AUSTRALIA

14 Sep, 17 17:00:00 BANGLADESH 0-3 (0-3) JAPAN

14 Sep, 17 19:00:00 AUSTRALIA 0-7 (0-3) DPR KOREA

17 Sep, 17 18:00:00 DPR KOREA 1-2 (1-0) JAPAN

17 Sep, 17 18:00:00 AUSTRALIA 3-2 (1-1) BANGLADESH

GROUP A GROUP B


20 Sep, 17 16:00:00 CHINA P.R. 0-1 (0-0) DPR KOREA

20 Sep, 17 19:30:00 JAPAN 1-1 a.e.t. (1-1,0-0)2-4 PSO KOREA REPUBLIC


23 Sep, 17 16:00:00 CHINA P.R. 0-1 (0-0) JAPAN


23 Sep, 17 19:30:00 DPR KOREA 2-0 (1-0) KOREA REPUBLIC

SEMI-FINALS

THIRD/FOURTH PLACE

FINAL

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

Team profiles

System: 4-1-2-3

Defensive Organisation: 4-5-1

Style of play:Attack• Build up from the back• Possession play• Wing play with flank combination

Defence• Start pressing from midfield• Holding midfielder stays deeper• Compact in own half

Transition: Good reaction, could be quicker and more structured at times

Mental strength: Determination, good team spirit

Key Players: #1 GK, #6, #7, #3

1819

14

12

5 6

7

11

10

9

8

CHINA

185

4

20

3 7

14

15

176

10

DPR KOREA

185

2

22

4 10

20

7

11

JAPAN

17

6

1

2

3

6

7

KOREA REPUBLIC

189

8

105

20

1

2

18

3

7

5

1512

6

98

BANGLADESH

20

13

2

21

10

19

11

16 14

LAOS

1 4

5

2

3

10

7

11

AUSTRALIA

96

14

8

2

4

17

THAILAND

18

13

12

7

23

20

5

4

8

SECTION 3

JERSEY NO. NAME DATE OF BIRTH POSITION

1 ANNALEE GROVE 15-06-2001 Goalkeeper 2 TESSA TAMPLIN 03-03-2001 Defender 3 ANGELIQUEHRISTODOULOU 17-09-2001 Defender 4 TORI TUMETH 04-03-2001 Defender 5 JAYME MILLARD 01-08-2002 Defender 6 TAYLOR RAY 22-04-2001 Midfielder 7 JULIA VIGNES 25-01-2002 Forward 8 AMY SAYER 30-11-2001 Midfielder 9 LAURA EMILY HUGHES 06-06-2001 Midfielder 10 SOFIA SAKALIS 11-07-2002 Midfielder 11 KYRA COONEY-CROSS 15-02-2002 Forward 12 OLIVIA RIDDEL 14-11-2002 Goalkeeper 13 ALYSSA ROSE 15-10-2001 Defender 14 CECILIJA MATIC 27-05-2002 Defender 15 MOLLY ARENS 09-05-2001 Midfielder 16 KARLY ROESTBAKKEN 17-01-2001 Midfielder 17 ALEXIA MORENO 03-05-2001 Midfielder 18 MORGAN AQUINO 04-08-2001 Goalkeeper 19 ABBEY GREEN 15-10-2002 Forward 20 HANNAH JONES 05-09-2002 Midfielder 21 SARAH MORGAN 01-03-2001 Midfielder 22 INDIAH-PAIGE RILEY 20-12-2001 Forward 23 WINONAH HEATLEY 18-06-2001 Defender

AUSTRALIAHead CoachRae Dower

System: 5-2-3


Style of play:Attack• 3-4-3 system build up attack by pass

and move with possession• Counter-attack to flank

Defence• Set up block defending in midfield,

compact defending in box

Transition: Reaction could be quicker

Mental strength: Focused in build up from the back, positive attitude

Key Players: #1 GK, #9, #12

1819

14

12

5 6

7

11

10

9

8

CHINA

185

4

20

3 7

14

15

176

10

DPR KOREA

185

2

22

4 10

20

7

11

JAPAN

17

6

1

2

3

6

7

KOREA REPUBLIC

189

8

105

20

1

2

18

3

7

5

1512

6

98

BANGLADESH

20

13

2

21

10

19

11

16 14

LAOS

1 4

5

2

3

10

7

11

AUSTRALIA

96

14

8

2

4

17

THAILAND

18

13

12

7

23

20

5

4

8

SECTION 3


1 MAHMUDA 15-02-2003 Goalkeeper 2 SHEULI AZIM 20-12-2001 Defender 3 SHAMSUNNAHAR 31-01-2003 Defender 4 NARGIS KHATUN 01-01-2001 Defender 5 PARVIN 17-10-2001 Defender 6 MONIKA 15-09-2003 Midfielder 7 SANJIDA AKHTER 20-03-2001 Midfielder 8 JAHAN MOUSHUMI 08-06-2001 Midfielder 9 MOSAMMAT SIRAT JAHAN SHOPNA 10-04-2001 Forward 10 ANUCHING MOGINI 01-03-2003 Forward 11 MARZIA 15-10-2002 Midfielder 12 KRISHNA RANI 01-01-2001 Forward 13 NILUFA YESMIN NILA 15-11-2003 Defender 14 JAHAN RATNA 07-05-2001 Midfielder 15 MARIA 10-05-2003 Midfielder 16 ANAI MOGINI 01-03-2003 Defender 17 MOSAMAMT SULTANA 10-08-2003 Forward 18 AKHI KHATUN 18-06-2003 Midfielder 19 TOHURA 05-05-2003 Midfielder 20 RAZIA 25-01-2001 Midfielder 21 NAZMA 10-12-2003 Defender 22 RUPA AKHTER 04-04-2003 Goalkeeper 23 RUKSANA BEGUM 05-02-2001 Goalkeeper

BANGLADESHHead CoachGolam Rabbani Choton

SECTION 3

System: 4-2-3-1

Defensive Organisation: 4-2-3-1

Style of play:Attack• Build up play from the back• Move cohesively together when

attacking in opponents half• Possession play seeking penetration

pass • Switch play a lot to create space

Defence• Organised and stay compact to prevent

opponent’s penetration pass• High and semi-high pressing

Transition: Not quick enough defence to attack

Mental strength: Composed and collected even under pressure or if behind

Key Players: #9, #11, #8

1819

14

12

5 6

7

11

10

9

8

CHINA

185

4

20

3 7

14

15

176

10

DPR KOREA

185

2

22

4 10

20

7

11

JAPAN

17

6

1

2

3

6

7

KOREA REPUBLIC

189

8

105

20

1

2

18

3

7

5

1512

6

98

BANGLADESH

20

13

2

21

10

19

11

16 14

LAOS

1 4

5

2

3

10

7

11

AUSTRALIA

96

14

8

2

4

17

THAILAND

18

13

12

7

23

20

5

4

8


1 HE PEIBIN 02-11-2001 Goalkeeper 2 WANG YUMENG 13-02-2001 Defender 3 ZHOU MENGQING 10-02-2002 Defender 4 ZHOU SHASHA 21-09-2001 Defender 5 HAN HUIMIN 08-04-2001 Defender 6 JIN JING 12-06-2001 Midfielder 7 YANG QIAN 05-01-2001 Midfielder 8 OU YIYAO 13-03-2001 Midfielder 9 SHEN MENGYU 19-08-2001 Midfielder 10 TANG HAN 03-01-2001 Forward 11 ZHANG LINYAN 16-01-2001 Midfielder 12 XU TING 24-02-2001 Forward 13 XIA BINGER 27-02-2001 Forward 14 LI YINGHUA 28-01-2001 Midfielder 15 ZOU KAILIAN 28-02-2001 Defender 16 WANG XINLING 26-05-2003 Forward 17 WANG XUAN 02-08-2001 Forward 18 WANG YU 18-05-2002 Goalkeeper 19 HUANG XIAOXU 08-08-2002 Defender 20 LI YUEHUA 06-01-2001 Forward 21 GUO SHUNJIN 01-01-2001 Midfielder 22 ZHANG RONGRONG 26-09-2001 Goalkeeper 23 ZHOU XINYU 26-02-2002 Midfielder

CHINAHead CoachGao Hong

System: 4-4-2


Style of play:Attack• Quite direct, play forward quickly• Combination and solo play

Defence• High and semi-high pressing• Tough and strong

Transition: Quick reaction at both transition moment, press immediately when lose the ball. Fast counter-attack, direct to two strikers

Mental strength: Winning mentality, determination

Key Players: #17, #10,#7

1819

14

12

5 6

7

11

10

9

8

CHINA

185

4

20

3 7

14

15

176

10

DPR KOREA

185

2

22

4 10

20

7

11

JAPAN

17

6

1

2

3

6

7

KOREA REPUBLIC

189

8

105

20

1

2

18

3

7

5

1512

6

98

BANGLADESH

20

13

2

21

10

19

11

16 14

LAOS

1 4

5

2

3

10

7

11

AUSTRALIA

96

14

8

2

4

17

THAILAND

18

13

12

7

23

20

5

4

8

SECTION 3


1 YUN PYOL 04-01-2002 Goal Keeper 2 KWAK UN SIM 26-04-2001 Defender 3 RI SIN OK 26-05-2003 Defender 4 PONG SONG AE 30-11-2001 Defender 5 RI KUM HYANG 22-04-2001 Defender 6 RI SU JONG 05-07-2002 Midfielder 7 RI SU GYONG 14-04-2003 Midfielder 8 RYU SOL SONG 27-02-2002 Midfielder 9 KIM IL SIM 04-10-2002 Midfielder 10 KIM RYU SONG 26-02-2002 Forward 11 O SI NAE 14-01-2001 Midfielder 12 SIN POM HYANG 05-01-2003 Midfielder 13 KO KYONG HUI 03-09-2001 Midfielder 14 KIM YUN OK 14-03-2003 Midfielder 15 YUN JI HWA 03-01-2002 Midfielder 16 WON HYANG SON 07-04-2002 Forward 17 KIM KYONG YONG 02-01-2002 Forward 18 YU SON GUM 08-11-2003 Goal Keeper 19 PAK IL GYONG 18-04-2002 Forward 20 PAK HYE GYONG 07-11-2001 Forward 21 MYONG YU JONG 29-08-2003 Midfielder 22 PYON UN GYONG 01-01-2001 Midfielder 23 KYE SONG MI 23-08-2002 Midfielder

DPR KOREAHead CoachSong Sung-gwon

System: 4-4-2


Style of play:Attack• Possession play• Combination with short pass and

penetration• Build up from the back - collective play

Defence• Press high, or aggressive pressing in

midfield• Good group work to channel and press

the ball

Transition: Rapid transition• Defence > Attack counter-attack in

upper half• Attack > Defence Enough players back

in own half if unable to regain ball possession in final third

Mental strength: Winning mentality, strong team spirit

Key Players: #18 GK, #17, #5, #7

1819

14

12

5 6

7

11

10

9

8

CHINA

185

4

20

3 7

14

15

176

10

DPR KOREA

185

2

22

4 10

20

7

11

JAPAN

17

6

1

2

3

6

7

KOREA REPUBLIC

189

8

105

20

1

2

18

3

7

5

1512

6

98

BANGLADESH

20

13

2

21

10

19

11

16 14

LAOS

1 4

5

2

3

10

7

11

AUSTRALIA

96

14

8

2

4

17

THAILAND

18

13

12

7

23

20

5

4

8

SECTION 3


1 RINA YAMASHITA 07-02-2001 Goalkeeper 2 CHIHIRO TOMIOKA 15-08-2001 Defender 3 HANA SHIBUYA 03-03-2001 Defender 4 IBUKI NAGAE 03-03-2002 Defender 5 SHINO MATSUDA 27-03-2001 Defender 6 SARA ITO 11-11-2001 Midfielder 7 CHISE TAKIZAWA 14-02-2001 Midfielder 8 MOMO KATO 28-01-2001 Forward 9 TOMOKO TANAKA 16-07-2001 Forward 10 MOMO NAKAO 09-03-2002 Midfielder 11 HARUKA OSAWA 15-04-2001 Forward 12 MOE NAKAE 01-01-2001 Midfielder 13 RAN IWAI 29-03-2002 Midfielder 14 CHIHIRO ISHIDA 20-12-2001 Midfielder 15 MIYU ARAI 20-11-2001 Defender 16 RIN WATANABE 07-04-2001 Midfielder 17 MOMOKA KINOSHITA 02-03-2003 Midfielder 18 SHU OHBA 11-07-2002 Goalkeeper 19 WAKABA GOTO 04-06-2001 Defender 20 YUZUKI YAMAMOTO 01-09-2002 Midfielder 21 SHIORI FUKUDA 13-06-2002 Goalkeeper 22 WARAI YOSHIZUMI 04-11-2002 Forward 23 MIYUKA MOMONO 08-10-2002 Forward

JAPANHead CoachNaoki Kusunose

System: 4-1-2-3/3-4-3/4-4-2

Defensive Organisation: 4-1-4-1/5-4-1/4-4-2

Style of play:Attack• Build up from the back• Forward players go up seeking the

space behind the opponent’s full-backs• Long passes to space, mix direct and

combination play to move up

Defence• Good anticipation/interception of

penetration passes• Compact defending

Transition: Quick transition from attack to defence and vice versa

Mental strength: Strong team spirit and resilience

Key Players: #1, #20

1819

14

12

5 6

7

11

10

9

8

CHINA

185

4

20

3 7

14

15

176

10

DPR KOREA

185

2

22

4 10

20

7

11

JAPAN

17

6

1

2

3

6

7

KOREA REPUBLIC

189

8

105

20

1

2

18

3

7

5

1512

6

98

BANGLADESH

20

13

2

21

10

19

11

16 14

LAOS

1 4

5

2

3

10

7

11

AUSTRALIA

96

14

8

2

4

17

THAILAND

18

13

12

7

23

20

5

4

8SECTION 3


1 KANG JIYEON 11-06-2001 Goalkeeper 2 CHANG EUNHYUN 04-02-2001 Midfielder 3 LEE EUNYOUNG 31-03-2002 Forward 4 JUNG HYUN KYEONG 26-11-2001 Defender 5 LEE SUIN 30-04-2002 Defender 6 NOH HEONYEON 03-09-2001 Midfielder 7 HWANG AHHYEON 12-11-2001 Midfielder 8 AN SEBIN 14-01-2001 Midfielder 9 JANG YOUBEEN 10-02-2002 Forward 10 KIM HYEJEONG 10-08-2001 Midfielder 11 LEE SERAN 13-04-2002 Forward 12 KIM JIMI 31-01-2001 Defender 13 CHOE WOOHYEON 04-09-2001 Defender 14 KIM BITNA 10-04-2001 Midfielder 15 KIM MINJI 21-08-2003 Defender 16 HWANG HAEMIN 20-11-2001 Defender 17 CHUN GARAM 19-10-2002 Forward 18 JEON SO EUN 13-02-2001 Goalkeeper 19 KO MINJUNG 14-05-2001 Defender 20 CHO MIJIN 04-04-2001 Forward 21 JO ARA 20-12-2001 Goalkeeper 22 BAEK MINGYEONG 29-01-2001 Forward 23 JO YESONG 29-03-2001 Forward

KOREAREPUBLICHead CoachHur Jung-jae

System: 4-1-2-3


Style of play:Attack• Build up mainly started from back or

from goal kicks • Direct balls to forwards• Striker always comes back to hold and

lay back to midfielders

Defence• Stays in compact shape in defensive

third but could be more organised in middle third

• Shift together

Transition: Could be quicker defence to attack and vice-versa.

Mental strength: Good team spirit even if behind

Key Players: #10, #11

1819

14

12

5 6

7

11

10

9

8

CHINA

185

4

20

3 7

14

15

176

10

DPR KOREA

185

2

22

4 10

20

7

11

JAPAN

17

6

1

2

3

6

7

KOREA REPUBLIC

189

8

105

20

1

2

18

3

7

5

1512

6

98

BANGLADESH

20

13

2

21

10

19

11

16 14

LAOS

1 4

5

2

3

10

7

11

AUSTRALIA

96

14

8

2

4

17

THAILAND

18

13

12

7

23

20

5

4

8

SECTION 3


1 PHONEXAY 19-01-2002 Goalkeeper 2 VILINTHONE VONGSENGTHONG 11-11-2001 Defender 4 VILAIVANH PANYANOUVONG 25-07-2001 Defender 5 LANOY VONGSINGKHAM 04-11-2002 Defender 6 PHOTPHALIN XADDAVONG 06-06-2002 Defender 7 NATHAPHONE SISOUDA 20-04-2003 Defender 8 PHIMPHA THONGSAVANG 05-07-2003 Midfielder 9 MONTHIP SISAKETH 11-12-2001 Midfielder 10 APHATSALA CHANHTHAVONGXAY 20-05-2001 Midfielder 11 VADY INTHIYA 15-03-2001 Midfielder 12 PANIN KHAMMANYXAY 07-06-2002 Defender 13 BOLING 11-03-2001 Defender 14 PHOUTSADY LOUANG AMATH 04-12-2002 Forward 15 KEO-OUDONE XAYSISOMBATH 10-10-2003 Midfielder 16 SAYSAMONE INTHAPHONE 29-05-2003 Midfielder 17 NOUDAENG SEEPASONG 05-08-2001 Midfielder 18 DALAVONE SOPHABMISAY 16-08-2002 Forward 19 ANOUTA CHANTHITHONG 16-08-2001 Midfielder 20 PHETLAVANH XAIYAPHETDALA 27-05-2002 Goalkeeper 21 PHONETHIP PHOMMACHANH 26-02-2002 Midfielder 22 INTHIDA KHOUNSY 03-08-2003 Forward 23 LITAR 15-10-2003 Goalkeeper

LAOSHead CoachVongmisay Soubouakham

System: 4-1-2-3

Defensive Organisation: 4-1-4-1

Style of play:Attack• Build up attack from the back • #4 is the playmaker and advances a lot• The two full-backs push high to support

in attack. • Play with through pass and penetration

in upper half

Defence• Midfield pressing in general• Lack good balance and support when

facing strong teams

Transition: Not fast enough

Mental strength: Positive playing attitude

Key Players: #4

1819

14

12

5 6

7

11

10

9

8

CHINA

185

4

20

3 7

14

15

176

10

DPR KOREA

185

2

22

4 10

20

7

11

JAPAN

17

6

1

2

3

6

7

KOREA REPUBLIC

189

8

105

20

1

2

18

3

7

5

1512

6

98

BANGLADESH

20

13

2

21

10

19

11

16 14

LAOS

1 4

5

2

3

10

7

11

AUSTRALIA

96

14

8

2

4

17

THAILAND

18

13

12

7

23

20

5

4

8SECTION 3


1 SARANYA TANTIWATTAN 06-01-2001 GoalKeeper 2 KOTCHAPHON NILLAOR 11-11-2002 Midfielder 3 NATTAPORN PAYPAISAN 14-03-2002 Defender 4 PLUEMJAI SONTISAWAT 20-07-2003 Midfielder 5 SUPAWADEE 18-10-2001 Defender 6 JIRAPAPORN DAMHAI 07-11-2001 Forward 7 CHATCHAWAN RODTHONG 22-06-2002 Midfielder 8 PHONCHITA THAENPRATHUM 04-06-2002 Midfielder 9 PATTARANAN AUPACHAI 09-07-2002 Midfielder 10 SIRIWIPA JANTARAK 19-04-2001 Defender 11 THANAKON PHONKHAM 18-02-2002 Midfielder 12 PANITTHA JEERATANAPAVIBUL 15-11-2001 Defender 13 PLOYCHOMPOO SOMNONK 26-12-2002 Forward 14 PONPIMON NGOENPHON 30-05-2002 Goalkeeper 15 NUTNICHA KALASIN 18-03-2001 Defender 16 WARARAT 19-08-2001 GoalKeeper 17 PENPITCHA CHAISIDA 12-02-2001 Midfielder 18 THIDARAT SRIBUNHOM 10-07-2001 Midfielder 19 TRINITY PARASCANDOLA 30-12-2002 Forward 20 THANCHANOK NGAMKHANA 20-12-2002 Defender 21 THANYATHON CHUEAMAN 31-12-2002 Midfielder 22 WARINTORN JANTASORN 23-05-2001 Midfielder 23 RATTIKAN KHAMPHAENG 28-09-2001 Defender

THAILANDHead CoachSarawut Suksawang

SECTION 4

Goalscoring Analysis

THROW-INS 1

PENALTY 3

FREE KICKS (DIRECT) 3

CORNERS 9

FREE KICKS (INDIRECT) 1

Total: 17 goals

25% of all goals in the tournamentwere set plays

The Grand Total : 69 goals (4.31 goals per match)

Top Scorers : DPR Korea with 20 goals

LONG-RANGE SHOT 8

DEFENSIVE ERRORS 2

OWN GOALS 1

FORWARD PASSES 17

RUNNING WITH THE BALL 1

DIAGONALS 3

CROSSES 8

COMBINATIONS 2

CUT-BACKS 6

Total: 52 goals

75% of all goals in the tournamentwere from open play

TOP GOALSSet Plays

1. Hye-Gyong DPR Korea vs Australia, 21’ - Direct Free-Kick

2. Lee Su-In Korea Republic vs Laos, 80’ - Direct Free-Kick

3. Tomioka Japan vs Australia, 48’ - Direct Free-Kick

4. Tanaka Japan vs Bangladesh, 14’ - Indirect Free-Kick

5. Kyong-Yong DPR Korea vs Korea Republic, 87’ - Corner Kick (Final)

Open Play

1. Hwang Korea Republic vs China, 59’ - Long-range shot

2. Kyong-Yong DPR Korea vs Australia, 39’ - Long-range shot

3. Tanaka Japan vs Korea Republic, 46’ - Solo effort (Semi-final)

4. Su-Jong DPR Korea vs Korea Republic, 38’ - Cut-back (Final)

5. Kim Yun-ok DPR Korea vs Bangladesh, 33’ - Long-range shot

TOP SCORER

NAME JERSEY NO. COUNTRY GOALS ASSIST

K. KYONG-YONG 17 DPR Korea 9 0

R. SU-GYONG 7 DPR Korea 5 0

CHO MIJIN 20 Korea Republic 5 0

ZHANG L Y 11 China 4 2

TANAKA 9 Japan 4 1

TAN H 10 China 4 1

K. KYONG-YONG R. SU-GYONG CHO MIJIN TANAKA TAN H ZHANG L Y

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SECTION 5

Technical Trends

The following formations were evident during the Championship:

GROUP A GROUP B

China PR (1-4-2-3-1) Japan (1-4-4-2)

Korea Republic (1-4-1-2-3) DPR Korea (1-4-4-2)

Thailand (1-4-1-2-3) Australia (1-4-1-2-3)

Laos (1-4-1-2-3) Bangladesh (1-5-2-3)

Playing styles and objectives undoubtedly wrote nuances into descriptions of the default settings adopted by the eight finalists at the tournament. However, painting in broad brushstrokes, the team structure preferred by Thailand, Australia, Laos and Korea Republic could be described as 1-4-1-2-3 with a single screening midfielder in front of the back four. China PR were alone in opting for the 1-4-2-3-1 formation with two controlling midfielders while Bangladesh, aware that they were facing theoretically superior opposition, set themselves up in a 1-5-2-3 basic formation. Shapes evidently metamorphosed during attack-to-defence transitions with Korea Republic, to quote a single example, switching to 1-5-4-1 defending during the KO phase of the competition. Japan and the eventual champions, DPR Korea, based their campaigns on a 1-4-4-2 default structure.

The teams operating in 1-4-1-2-3 formation used their shape to cover space the moment they get possession. However, it was difficult to relate this team shape with playing styles as, for example, Korea Republic averaged 56% of possession (over five games), compared with 52% by Thailand (three matches); 59% by Australia or the 27% registered by Laos (both of them also over three games). Korea Republic displayed a higher level than the other three teams who used the same system. Korea Republic and Thailand generally changed from 1-4-1-2-3 to a 1-4-1-4-1 in transitions from attack to defence, while Laos and Australia switched rapidly to a 1-4-5-1 defensive block.

The 1-4-2-3-1 adopted by China was based on strong wingers and central midfielders. Gao Hong, who wanted China to focus on possession football, dominated the ball in all five games with an average of 61%. The formation rarely changed from 1-4-2-3-1 in transition play but in the semi-final against Japan it became 1-4-1-2-3 to push additional players forward and create more goalscoring chances. In general the back line of four was compact and covered well. The two screening midfielders looked to prevent or intercept the through pass, while the two wide midfielders and the full-backs had a lot of range in defence and attack. The 1-4-4-2 structure was used by Japan and DPR Korea who had strong midfields that used the width and also supported attacks. Both strikers for DPR Korea and

Japan displayed good off-the-ball running to create space and were capable of holding the ball up and laying it off to teammates or dribbling towards goal. The formation was constant throughout the tournament for both DPR Korea and Japan with both teams were well organised in attack and defence. The wide midfielders in both teams were adept at making penetrating runs and delivering dangerous crosses to the central attackers. DPR Korea were good at direct attacking methods, mixing combination play with individual 1v1 skills to break through opponents’ defensive lines but Japan relied more on combination moves and quick passing to create scoring opportunities.

Bangladesh were alone in adopting the 1-5-2-3 formation as their default setting. The formation ensured good strength in numbers when defending, and made it a little complicated for opposition teams to counterattack easily. This was more evident in the game against Japan (0-3). The formation usually changed from 1-5-2-3 to 1-5-4-1 in defending and 1-3-4-3 in attacking. The lone striker generally stayed high to disturb the opponent’s centre-backs and to look for counterattacking possibilities. The emphasis was usually on direct back-to-front supply, looking for the two most advanced players to counter with solo runs at goal.

Formation

Defensive TacticsBasically all teams used zonal defending in open play. Only Laos tried solo marking on Thailand #4 in the group stage. Japan and DPR Korea used two flat central midfielders, undertaking zonal defensive work behind two strikers. Bangladesh defended with a back line of five in all games, with Korea Republic also using a back five in the semi-final and final. High pressing and aggressive midfield pressing were common denominators, with only Laos sitting back quite deep, prioritising the maintenance of a compact shape in the defensive third.

Attacking TacticsChina, Japan, Thailand, Bangladesh and Australia focused on possession when building attacks. The emphasis was clearly on constructing attacks from the back, passing through the thirds and switching play to look for attacking chances.

Japan and China were more comfortable in terms of keeping possession under pressure. Thailand, Bangladesh and Australia were more prone to losses of possession in their own half during the construction of attacking moves. Japan and China made good combinations and penetrations via possession play. However, the teams with more possession – as discussed elsewhere in this report – found it difficult to equate domination of the ball with success.

Korea Republic, DPR Korea and Laos preferred a direct back-to-front approach to build-up play. The two

finalists, when in possession at the back, always tried to play forward as quickly as possible. Strikers and wingers received the ball by running into space or penetration. Korea Republic and DPR Korea also executed some combination play in midfield in order to break through the defensive line. DPR Korea also exploited their strong dribbling skills in the attacking third. Both teams looked to finalise attacks rapidly, with DPR Korea ready to shoot from long range. By contrast, Laos normally preferred to stay deep and play long passes to striker or wingers to mount attacks or counterattacks.

Use of TransitionDPR Korea, Korea Republic and Japan gained a lot of advantage in transition when they pressed high and created counterattacking opportunities via ball-winning in the attacking third. Their reaction to loss of possession was very fast attack-to-defence transition. China also did well in pressing immediately after losing possession, but their counterattacking was, in general, not as quick. Thailand, Australia, Bangladesh and Laos aimed to react quickly and organise their defensive transitions, but their action and movements were conditioned by fitness levels.

Set PlayChina was the only team to use zonal defending against corners. Other teams opted for mixed defending against set plays. Japan always preferred to play short at set plays. DPR Korea, China and Japan executed dangerous

set plays, which brought them goals. DPR Korea, especially, benefited substantially from attacking set plays thanks to good deliveries and heading ability.

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DPR KoreaThe champions showed outstanding levels of athletic condition: good strength, power and speed. Technical abilities were also very good in all departments. They displayed great diversity in their scoring options: supply from wide areas; long-range shooting; 1v1 abilities; set plays; and contributions by influential individual players. The outstanding examples were #7 Su Gyong, a holding midfielder, strong in protecting the ball, controlling the tempo of the game, pushing aggressively into the box.

#17 K.Kyong Yong: good finishing, heading ability. She was the MVP and top scorer at the tournament.

#10 Kim Ryu Song: very strong dribbling skills to disturb defensive blocks and create scoring chances for teammates.

The challenge facing DPR Korea is to develop greater confidence in building from the back to work on creativity.

Korea RepublicAlthough not quite matching the fitness levels of the champions, the team could sustain a high-tempo game.

Depending on the opponent, Korea Republic often changed their formation. Against China and Laos they played 4-1-2-3; changed to 1-4-3-3 against Thailand; started with a 1-4-4-2 structure against Japan but changed to 1-5-4-1 when submitted to great pressure and needed to reinforce the defensive line; and, against DPR Korea, started in 1-5-4-1 formation and attacked 1-3-4-3. Substitutions involved changes of playing positions and team formation. The key players were:

#1 Kang Ji-yeon produced influential goalkeeping, making several near impossible saves and showing good judgement on when to come off her line.

#20 Cho Mijin strong striker with good anticipation of passes in the attacking third, smart runs into space, ability to score from distance and good striker of penalties. She also demonstrated that she could operate effectively as centre-back.

JapanJapan, winners of the Fair Play award, showed very good team spirit and collective playing style. Overall their technique was very good, especially their passing, reception skills and off-ball movement. They were the only team to use all 23 players in the tournament, not only demonstrating good alternatives on the bench but also optimising the player-development aspect of the event.

Japan performed very well in terms of combination play, but sometimes failed to translate this into goals, often through reluctance to be more positive when in the danger area. The team would have benefited from stronger dribbling and finishing skills to finalise impressive approach play. Among the outstanding prospects were #17 Kinoshita was just 14.5 years old and played in all games, showing good reading of the game, anticipation, ability to control the pace of the game in midfield. She was one of the players with a lot of potential for the future.

China Apart from the keeper, the China line-up remained unchanged throughout the tournament, thus offering few development opportunities for the players on the bench. The team showed a much greater attacking verve against Japan and it was noticeable that the players gained in confidence during the run to the semi-finals. The high average of ball-possession was not reflected by productivity in front of goal and performance levels faded during games. The players who caught the eye during the tournament were:

#9 Shen Mengyu was the playmaker, distributing passes into spaces for the wingers and striker – also showed ability to operate as holding midfielder.

#8 Ou Yiyao operated in front of the holding midfielders, linking play from the defensive third into attacking midfield.

#11 Zhang Linyan speedy and aggressive on the flanks, she also used her strong dribbling skills to help in attack and to create scoring opportunities.

Top Four Teams

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It was noticeable that both semi-finals were won by the direct-attack team against opponents who set out to dominate possession. In the final itself, the speed of the game generated frequent losses of possession and therefore frequent transitions in both directions. DPR Korea’s strengths included efficient finishing ability and enviable athletic conditioning. The bronze-medal game between the two possession-orientated teams produced a real playing time of 65 minutes, during which the emphasis was on patient construction of attacking moves through the thirds. While China sought to exploit their counterattacking potential, Japan created more scoring chances – yet finally found the net after a rebound. The coaches acknowledged that the tournament in Thailand was won by the best all-round team.

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Talking Points

Group B DPR Korea vs Bangladesh2nd half

DPRK scored 5 goals, ball

possession 45%

Bangladesh scored 0 goals, ball

possession 55%

Group B Japan vs Australia 2nd half

Japan scored 4 goals, ball

possession 43%

Australia scored 0 goals, ball

possession 57%

Group B DPR Korea vs Australia1st half


possession 40%


possession 60%

DPR Korea vs Australia2nd half


possession 39%


possession 61%

Group B DPR Korea vs Japan1st half

DPRK scored 1 goal, ball

possession 42%


possession 58%

DPR Korea vs Japan2nd half


possession 23%


possession 77%

Ball possession = success? Here are some random data gathered during the final tournament in Thailand:

In the second half of the Group B game between DPR Korea and Bangladesh, the latter had a 55% share of the ball and failed to score. DPR Korea, with 45% of possession, scored five times.

During the second half of the group game between Japan and Australia, the latter had 57% of possession without finding the net; with 43% Japan scored four times.

During the match between DPR Korea and Australia, the eventual champions hit three goals with 40% of possession in the first half and four more with 39% in the second. Australia, despite the lion’s share of the ball, did not score.

When Japan inflicted a 2-1 defeat on DPR Korea, the latter scored once with 42% of possession before half-

time, while Japan drew a blank. After the interval, Japan stepped up their share of the ball to 77% and scored two goals to win the game.

During the final tournament, Japan and China were the two teams notably comfortable in keeping possession under pressure. China enjoyed a greater share of the ball in all five of their games, posting a healthy average of 61%. However, it could be argued that Gao Hong’s team retained more possession and made more passes in their own half of the pitch and were therefore not overly quick in moving the ball up the field.

The two teams’ playing philosophy was based on possession-play and combination moves. Neither, of course, reached the final. On the other hand, finalists Korea Republic and DPR Korea were prepared to build attacks from the back, yet always set out to play forward as rapidly as possible, with strikers and wingers available to receive the ball by off-the-ball runs into the space or penetration. Both teams also executed some neat combination play in midfield, using high levels of individual technique to break through defensive lines. DPR Korea’s armoury also included the weapon of solo runs in the attacking third, based on well-developed dribbling skills. Both teams also set out to go for goal as quickly as possible with, especially, DPR Korea ready to strike accurate shots from long range – and to score from them.

The issue of converting ball-possession into productive goalscoring moves is a talking point at all levels of club and national team football. But, at this stage of their development, should players be encouraged to achieve

results by direct attacking before opponents can assemble defensive blocks? Or is it more important to polish individual and collective technique by focusing on possession play and combination moves?

Eight is a happy number?Among the coaches at the final tournament in Thailand, the majority felt that an eight-team event represents the optimal solution. Some of them signalled differences between the top quartet of teams and the other four – sometimes reflected by heavy scorelines. They felt that an expansion of the final tournament should only be broached at a stage when this gap has narrowed. Do you agree? Or, to be provocative, is it a legitimate talking point to suggest that increasing the number of contestants would help to narrow the gap more quickly?

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SECTION 7

Players to Watch

Group A

Thailand vs LaosMVP: #4 S.Pluemjai Thailand

Attacking midfielder, Skilful and aggressive, created a lot of shooting and crossing opportunities, regularly in the box.

China vs Korea RepublicMVP: #9 Shen. M Y China

Holding midfielder, the captain and playmaker for China. Very skilful and helped in both defending and attacking. One assist in this match.

China vs LaosMVP: #11 Zhang. L Y China

Midfielder, Scored two goals and assisted one. Helped her team to attack and used her speed and good skills to penetrate opponent’s defensive line.

Korea Republic vs ThailandMVP: #2 Chang Eunh Yun Korea Republic

Midfielder, started as a left-back. Aggressive pushing up and crossed at the right moment. Played as a midfielder in second half - able to make through passes, also gets into the box and scored one goal. She could also cover the space while defending.

Thailand vs ChinaMVP: #8 Ou Y Y China

Midfielder, started as a left-back. Aggressive pushing up and crossed at the right moment. Played as a midfielder in second half - able to make through passes, also gets into the box and scored one goal. She could also cover the space while defending.

Korea Republic vs LaosMVP: #19 Ko Min Jung Korea Republic

Defender/striker, she scored three goals in this match, had ability to perform well in defence and as a striker.

Group B

DPR Korea vs BangladeshMVP: #17 K. Kyong-yong DPR Korea

Striker, able to catch the shooting chance quickly in the box, good finishing, good header, scored five goals.

Japan vs Australia MVP: #11 Osawa Japan

Forward, scored one and one assist. A dangerous player in possession who showed good dribbling skills.

Japan vs BangladeshMVP: #9 Tanaka Japan

Striker, good passing drills, great first touch and through pass. Also aggressive in penalty box and shooting. One goal and one assist.

Australia vs DPR KoreaMVP: #17 K. Kyong-yong DPR Korea

Forward, scored two goals outside the penalty area. Powerful shots and a player on whom all teammates can depend, whether in attack or defence.

DPR Korea vs JapanMVP: #18 Ohba Japan

GK, made a lot of good saves, good anticipation, stayed calm under pressure.

Australia vs BangladeshMVP: #11 Cooney Cross Australia

Forward, Good control and dangerous long-range shots. Scored from a corner kick and one assist from a corner.

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Semi-Finals Third/Fourth Place

China vs DPR KoreaMVP: #7 R. Su-gyong DPR Korea

Midfielder, efficient, strong and tough. Showed leadership, good passing and defending skills.

China vs JapanMVP: #10 Nakao Japan

Midfielder, skilful, good passing and control. Able to read the game and control the speed of the game, aggressive entering the box, scored one long-range goal by rebound (out of Penalty box) in this game.

Japan vs Korea RepublicMVP: #20 Cho Mijin Korea Republic

Forward, influential player on field. Versatile, playing as a dangerous striker and also as a very good defender. Scored the final winning goal in penalty shootout.

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FinalDPR Korea vs Korea RepublicMVP: #17 K. Kyong-yong DPR Korea

Forward, scored the second key goal in the final from a corner. Consistently a threat to the opposition.

MVP of the Tournament#17 K. Kyong-yong DPR Korea

MVP in the three matches and the tournament topscorer. Skilful striker, and versatile with headers, long-range efforts and direct shots.

Strong, fast and aggressive throughout the tournament. She made a significant contribution towards her team winning the title.

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Expand the final round to 12 teams?Most of the coaches do not believe it is currently necessary to expand the number of teams to 12 in the final tournament, as there is still a significant difference in ability and goal margins between the top four teams and the rest. Coaches believed it could have a detrimental effect on team motivation, and should only be considered only in the future when the gap is reduced.

Pilot Penalty kick rule ‘ABBA’ The top four teams, apart from Korea Republic, all preferred the old way as the new rule is confusing for the players and is not perceived to be advantageous.

Korea Republic coach said they had practised the new rule and were able to adopt it.

Two rest days between each matchTwo rest days were implemented at this youth tournament and all teams were in favour. Although it made for a longer tournament period, which may cause difficulties relating to school absences, for the quality of the game and players’ wellbeing it is worthwhile.

Coaches Talking Point

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SECTION 9

RefereesREFEREES COUNTRY

FUSAKO KAJIYAMA JPN

CASEY LISA REIBELT AUS

SEINN CHO AUNG MYA

EDITA MIRABIDOVA UZB

PANSA CHAISANIT THA

HYEON JEONG OH KOR

MAHSA GHORBANI IRN

CONG THI DUNG VIE

ASSISTANT REFEREES COUNTRY

MAKOTO BOZONO JPN

ROHAIDAH BINTE MOHD NASIR SIN

HYANG BIN JONG PRK

MERLO SILVA ALBANO PHI

MONNAKANT TARIK THA

SEUL GI LEE KOR

TRUONG THI LE TRINH VIE

YONGMEI CUI CHN

SUN YOUNG YANG KOR

HEBA SAADIEH PLE

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Extra-timeCoaches’ Interviews

GROUP A

CHINA VS KOREA REPHur Jung-Jae: Head Coach, Korea Republic“I believe our players couldn’t show 100 per cent (of their capabilities). I’m a little bit frustrated. You can concede a goal at any time of the game, and that’s part of football. Tonight it came in the last moment.”

Gao Hong: Head Coach, China PR“I think our players really played with their hearts. The first half was tough, usually we try to play possession football but it was a rough half. I think it would have been a little unfair if we had lost tonight, but fortunately we got that late goal. We will work on possession football, that’s our way to goal.”

LAOS VS THAILANDVongmisay Soubouakham: Head Coach, Laos“I’m very happy with the performance of the team. We made the tactic to defend and counter attack. We know the quality of Thailand and Laos, and we’re doing the best for the future of Laos women’s football. For some of our players, this is their first tournament. We need to use the same tactic (against China PR on Wednesday)

Sarawut Suksawang: Head Coach, Thailand“Every goal we got tonight was a result of the training we did for this tournament. (Pluemjai Sontisiwat) is young, and she has a higher performance than players older than her. She will be an important player for the national

team in the future. For the Korea Republic match, we have been training for them but today we made many mistakes which we need to improve.

KOREA REPUBLIC VS THAILANDSarawut Suksawang: Head Coach, Thailand“In the first half we were okay, but after half-time Korea were very strong. In the second half we lost the ball too much. My team made a lot of mistakes, but in the first half we showed we could play with Korea. Yes, China drew with Korea, but my team are confident and we want to win.”

Hur Jung-jae: Head Coach, Korea Republic“I’d like to say I’m happy for the result, but I’m not so happy about our team’s overall performance. The players that don’t play regularly have very little technical differences to the ones who start. I think that not only today, but in our first game, our substitutes were successful, which changed the game.

I have to be honest, even though we came with some preparation for the tournament, our teamwork and organisation aren’t as good as I thought they would be. This is what I will look for in the next game and if we advance we have more time. We’ll take this into consideration ahead of the next match and prepare in the best way.”

LAOS VS CHINAVongmisay Soubouakham: Head Coach, Laos“I want to thank my players. We had a very big challenge playing against one of the best women’s teams in Asia and matches like this are for the future of women’s football in Laos. I call this tournament the smaller World

Cup, with teams like Japan, China and Korea playing here. I told (goalkeeper Phetlavanh) you will be the number one in Laos in the future. Our long-term aim is to be one of the stronger teams in the Southeast Asia region and reach the level of Vietnam and Myanmar.”

Gao Hong: Head Coach, China PR“In the first-half we were a little bit lazy, but in the second-half I think we played better. (Our performance) is still not what I’m looking for yet. We made too many mistakes. I think (four points from two games) is okay. It’s not too bad, and we’re looking forward.”

CHINA VS THAILANDGao Hong: Head Coach, China PR“I’m not very happy, because I still want us to play possession football. Our players seemed nervous. They are focusing only on scoring, and that’s important, but what’s more important is how they score. From the beginning we needed to be hungry to play our football. (Shen Mengyu) is a very good player, but she needs a challenge. Today she seemed a little lost in her decision making. I think next time she will play better - I trust her. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is (out of Japan or DPR Korea), we just have to play our football.”

Sarawut Suksawang: Head Coach, Thailand“We are the top team in Southeast Asia, but at the Asian level we are quite far away. We have to improve our technique, our physicality and our attitude. For the first-half we set up to defend but we conceded many goals, so we decided to introduce Ploychompoo at half-time to increase our attacking threat. We have three players with big futures. We have Pluemjai Sontisiwat, aged just 14, Chatchawan Rodthong, aged 15, and Rattikan Khamphaeng, who is 16. These three players will play at a higher level in the future.”

GROUP B

JAPAN VS AUSTRALIANaoki Kusunose: Head coach, Japan“We made more mistakes than expected, but Australia were a very good team and they never gave up. We must improve and I believe we can. I think (the DPR match) is

very important, but we need to give our best in every single game, and we will be playing our strongest team against Bangladesh.”

Rae Dower: Head coach, Australia“Japan’s dominance over the last two decades was pretty evident tonight. They just keep producing another generation. The disappointing thing was the mistakes we made, but that’s the lesson for our girls at this level. At the international stage, if you make those errors the top teams will really hurt you. You know they will make mistakes, and that’s where they will learn and give their best. I told the girls before the game, they’ll remember this for the rest of their lives. Our goalkeeper (Annalee Grove) made some great saves in the first half. I thought young Julia (Vignes) did not stop running, as well as young Kyra (Cooney-Cross).”

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DPR KOREA VS BANGLADESHGolam Robbani Choton: Head coach, Bangladesh“We are gradually improving. We are playing against the World Champions, and they are very experienced. Today we had a practice session, but only for set pieces: free kicks, and corners. The problem is not our fitness,

the problem is DPR Korea are very strong, and they play faster than us. This is the first time our team has participated in such a high class tournament.”

Song Sung-gwon: Head coach: DPR Korea“Thank you for your congratulations. I’m satisfied on the performance of our players. Bangladesh played well, better than we expected. Kim Kyong-yong was the best player for us tonight, she is young but she knows how to play. She’s very important to us. We have prepared for this tournament, and will focus on our upcoming opponents.”

JAPAN VS BANGLADESHGolam Robbani Choton: Head Coach, Bangladesh“I would like to congratulate Japan for the win. We played against the word champions (in the first game) and today we played against Japan. Our girls learned a lot from the first match. They showed their own game and played very well. We are happy. Our girls were nervous in the first match, but today they were confident. Today we played very well and it was silly mistakes that made us concede three goals. There’s a gap between Bangladesh’s football and Japan’s football, but we’re learning and improving.”

Naoki Kusunose: Head Coach, Japan“Our team missed so many chances. I would like to see more goals. It was a tough game, and I’m pleased that we’ve got the win. Bangladesh never gave up tonight and their defence was very good. We attacked and attacked, and they defended and defended. Their

goalkeeper (Mahmuda) was very good. We rested the players because of the conditions. I think the game against DPR Korea will be tough, but we will do our best, play our own style and we want to be champions in this tournament.”

SEMI-FINALSNaoki Kusunose: Head Coach, Japan“The players are very, very positive. They’re enjoying the tournament, and they’re looking forward to the next match,” he said at the team’s hotel.

“(In the DPR Korea match) I learned the team have become more patient and mentally tough.”

Despite the possibility that spot-kicks could decide his team’s fate, Kusunose said he and his staff had given no thought to practicing from 12 yards, saying he was “only focused on the 90 minutes.”

The former FC Machida Zelvia boss has carefully rotated his squad throughout the tournament, a tactic he believes has his team ready to fire in the final, crucial days in Thailand.

“After three matches and many training sessions and meetings, we have not only a lot of strong players but also a good mix,” he explained.

“This is the age where they prepare for the future and for the senior national team, so it is important to have a strong squad.”

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Having led the Japan side that lost the final to DPR Korea two years, Kusunose spoke of his eagerness to lift the trophy this time around, but insisted patience and persistence would be required if his young side are to do so.

“I want the players to focus on being patient, not try to hurry to a win, but play their football one by one and do what they should do.”

Hur Jung-jae: Head Coach, Korea RepublicHur Jung-jae’s (picture below) Korea Republic side also have cause for belief, having scored 12 goals in three group stage matches, including seven in their most recent fixture against Laos.

Cho Mi-jin and and Ko Min-jung both scored hat-tricks in that match, but Kusunose said he knows what to expect from a side he has had two years to study.

“We have played against each other since the girls were in younger grades and we’re quite familiar with them,” said the 53-year-old.

“They’re a very speedy and powerful team. We played them two years ago when they were 14 years old and I think it was 2-0 (to Japan).”

Gao Hong: Head Coach, China PR“In 2013 we lost and (DPR Korea) scored three. The second time we lost 2-1 and they scored the winning goal in the last few minutes,” said the former senior national team goalkeeper.“This time, I think we’ll score more goals. We’ll play with the same style, but we have different players now.”

“I’m looking forward to playing against them because they’re a strong team – not only in Asia, but in the world – and that’s the type of challenge our team need.”

DPR Korea - a perennial force in women’s youth football, and world champions at both U-17 and U-20 level – racked up 17 goals in the group stage, but finished second after a late 2-1 defeat to Japan; a result which gives Gao cause for optimism.

“They were quick and strong, but they had weaknesses,” said the affable Chinese mentor.

“They had very simple tactics, but also their fitness. They are very strong, but they couldn’t run for 90 minutes at high speed. They were up and down.”

While she clearly believes her team have the ability to beat DPR Korea, Gao said World Cup qualification remains her team’s main focus.

“To qualify for the World Cup is our first target, and most important target, because that will earn more opportunities for Chinese youth teams and to promote women’s youth football in China,” she said.

While the importance of the result is clear, China boss Gao said her team would cherish their time in Thailand, come what may.

“We’ve had a lot of communication with Japan, Australia and Laos. The girls can learn about different cultures and people, even just through watching or saying ‘hello’,” she said.

“This competition is not only for champions, but its also very good for the young girls to have these special experiences.”

And her last words for her players ahead of the semi-final showdown?“Be ready.”

“This competition is not only for champions, but it’s also very good for the young girls to have these special experiences.”Gao Hong: Head Coach, China PR

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Song Sung-gwon: Head coach, DPR KoreaHer opposite number, DPR Korea head coach Song Sung-gwon, said he expected his team to reach the final two for the sixth successive edition of the tournament.

“I am full of confidence to win the semi-final match with China,” he said.

“Once I saw the match I felt that we could win against them. I consider that China’s playing style is not an organised one. Their defence is not developed as much as I expected.”

Song – who revealed star creator Kim Ryu-song is fit enough to play despite a knee injury - reiterated the importance of being there to defend their world title in Uruguay.

“Needless to say, all of our players - as well as their fans and relatives – will all be happy if we qualify for the World Cup.”

Before final matchAccording to head coach Song Sung-gwon, the secret to DPR Korea’s unprecedented success lies in the way the players are developed.

“(Our success) is because of the football education system in our country,” he explained “We have a very good football education system - one which I am very proud of.”Following their 1-0 semi-final win over China PR, Song’s charges have already secured qualification

for next year’s U-17 World Cup in Uruguay but, with Korea Republic waiting in the final, the boss insists only lifting the trophy will satisfy him.“To tell you the truth, we came here to be champions. It’s very important to win this tournament, and I trust the players to do it,” he said.

“Actually, I expected that Japan would play in the final against us, so that we could get revenge for our earlier match, but unexpectedly (the opponents will be) Korea Republic,” he revealed.“We were prepared to play Japan, but I think it will easier to play against (Korea Republic).”

One man who may disagree is Korea Republic head coach Hur Jung-jae.

The cool-headed boss, though admittedly relieved to have already secured a place in Uruguay 2018, said his team are yet to fulfil their full potential.

“I don’t know how you will feel if I say this, but – honestly speaking – I’m still not totally satisfied with our performance,” he said.

“I’m happy for the results, and happy that we did not lose any games or concede any silly goals, but I’m not quite happy with our actual team performance.”

Hur also revealed that a pre-tournament prophecy had come to fruition, before acknowledging the strength of his final opponents.

“Before coming to Thailand we had a media day in Korea for this team, and I told the press that I’d like to meet DPR Korea in the final. It happened, and I’m happy about that,” he said.

“Needless to say, all of our players - as well as their fans and relatives – will all be happy if we qualify for the World Cup.”

Song Sung-gwon: Head coach, DPR Korea

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“We have to admit that their physical ability and their philosophy is very good. One of the best in the world, and much better than us. If we try to play against them the same way, it’s going to be very difficult for us.

“We plan to play a bit more defensively and secure the game – especially in the beginning – and then we have to adjust to what the game shows us and make good decisions under the circumstances.”

“In sport, the difference between becoming a champion and runners-up is huge in the end,” he said.

“Even though you’ve done so well in the competition, just losing in the final makes such a big difference to the reward and feeling you get after the game.

“If you get complacent you don’t develop. Once you’re satisfied and you’re not hungry, you’re not going to achieve more. This is the message that I’m giving my players.”

After final match

Song Sung-gwon (DPR Korea Head Coach)“I think us winning the final tonight was the result from the tireless efforts of our training in our country, and our players, officials and coaching staff worked hard to win this tournament. Our purpose for this tournament was to be champions. This is the first international competition for most of our players and when we arrived for this tournament, I thought we would win it.”

Hur Jung-jae (Korea Republic Head Coach)“I think in the beginning we were a bit tense and nervous, especially due to the physical attention of the opponents, but gradually we got into the game. In the end we lost the game, but I’m not that unhappy with the performance. After seeing that performance, I think we can compete well next year in the World Cup. I think their power and their speed was better than our team, but technically I think we can also develop and in a year’s time I think we can compete with DPR Korea.”

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EDITORIAL:BAI LILIZAINOL TALEPHELEN SUMMERSTOM ENGELHARDTGRAHAM TURNER

AFC TECHNICAL DIRECTOR:ANDY ROXBURGH

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