North knock South out of women's football after contentious quarterfinal

Football

Published: 30 Sep. 2023, 19:40

North knock South out of women's football after contentious quarterfinal

South Korea's Son Hwa-yeon is shown a red card during an Asian Games quarterfinal between South and North Korea in Hangzhou, China. [YONHAP]

South Korea lost 4-1 to North Korea in the quarterfinals of the Hangzhou Asian Games women’s football tournament on Saturday, crashing out of the contest and failing to repeat their third-place finish from the 2018 Asiad.

It was a very physical and contentious game at WZ Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou, China, with South Korea’s Son Hwa-yeon controversially sent off in the 41st minute for a second yellow card given due to a collision with the North goalkeeper while diving for a shot.

Korea beat Hong Kong 5-0 to reach women's football quarterfinals

Replays showed little if any contract between Son and the goalkeeper, and it is unclear which player actually got to the ball first.

North Korea were responsible for all four goals, putting the South up 1-0 with an own goal in the 11th minute and then recording three of their own in the 20th, 81st, 90th and 94th minutes.

Refereeing continued to be a concern throughout the game, much to the very visible consternation of South Korea head coach Colin Bell.

Ji So-yun at one point was handed a yellow for protesting after a North Korean player stood on her teammates’ leg and no foul was given, and captain Kim Hye-ri was slapped with a yellow and a penalty was awarded for an unavoidable ball to hand where both her arms were close to her body.

Mun Eun-ju, meanwhile, was stretchered off the pitch after a North Korean player took her legs out from underneath her and no foul was given.

The end result, however much it may have left a bad taste in the mouths of the South Korean contingent, saw North Korea book a ticket to the semifinals and South Korea head home early.

The South Korean men’s football team will be in action Sunday as they take on hosts China in the quarterfinals of the men’s tournament.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]