Intercontinental Cup 2019 | Know Your Opponent - North Korea

07/02/2019

AFC

India would come against one of the most successful Asian teams in North Korea in the Intercontinental Cup and despite their poor run, the World Cup veterans enjoy an unbeaten record against India. Quite interestingly, North Korea would be posing a very different challenge to India than Tajikistan.

History

The North Korea national football team would clearly be the most successful Asian side participating in the 2019 Intercontinental Cup, and while their squad for the tournament isn’t much known they would be India’s trickiest opponent.

Controlled by the DPR Korea Football Association, the governing body for football in North Korea, the side would want to make an impact in the international tournament after an underwhelming AFC Asia Cup campaign. However, history has been evident that they have always punched above their weight in big competitions.

North Korea had stunned Italy in the group stage to reach the 1966 World Cup quarter-finals and had become the first Asian team in history to advance into the knockout stages. Although their 2006 World Cup campaign remained a black mark with all the controversies, the nation had managed to qualify for the finals in 2010 again.

In Asian competitions, North Korea have qualified for the AFC Asian Cup five times trying for 63 years and apart from a fourth stage finish in 1980, they haven’t crossed the group stage even once. They had a far better run in the Asian Games though, where they won the gold medal in 1978 and the silver in 1990. Their best performance at the continental level has been in the AFC Challenge Cup, which they have won twice and finished third once, in the three times they have participated.

As far as India‘s head to head with Korea is concerned, the Blue Tigers paint a hopeless picture. They have played Chollima eight times in the past, losing five times and drawing thrice. The most recent one has been in 2012 AFC Cup, where India lost 4-0. And though the outcomes aren’t expected to change much in the recent future, North Korea’s dismal run in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup should give India hope.

Preferred formation and tactics

Former player and current manager Kim Yong-Jun is yet to be successful but has been tremendously experimental as far as his tactics are concerned. Taking charge of the national team after a very uneventful 2018 where North Korea could play only two international games under Chun Fai-Liu, which hinted at the lack of preparation for the AFC Asian Cup next year, Kim famously tried three separate formations in the three group stage matches.

In the three matches against Qatar, Lebanon, and Uzbekistan, North Korea shipped in a mammoth 14 goals. He tried a defensive 5-4-1, an uber-adventurous 4-3-3 attacking, and a conservative 4-2-3-1. After the tournament, in a friendly with Uzbekistan, he was seen trying a more balanced 4-4-2. He ended up losing all four of them but it makes Igor Stimac’s planning tricky nonetheless.

The last few glory days of football for North Korea was back in 2017 when Jorn Andersen was their manager and helped them qualify for the Asian Cup. They had won twice and drew two of their matches in qualification campaign and a closer look at the formations used then hinted that the Swede preferred defensive tactics. 4-4-2 double 6, 4-3-3 defending and 4-3-3 attacking were the ones Andersen found to be useful and the 4-3-3 defending even fetched him two victories.

This pretty much makes sense though as Korean teams' prime strength has been work rate and speed on the counter-attack, which makes them dangerous when they are yet to concede. Not the tallest of the athletes in the sport, Korean players rely on their larger centre of gravity and are good dribblers of the ball and faster on their feet. Indian defenders would have to be wary of getting dribbled past, hence, a deep backline would be safer.

Key Players

Kim, like most other managers in his place, has called for fresh legs in a relatively younger side although he is savvy enough hold on to his few stalwarts who have been in the side for quite some time and are successful. Amongst them would strikers Pak Kwang-ryong and Kim Yu-song. Together they have 21 goals in 50 matches.

Apart from the strikers, midfielder Pak Song-chol would be a tough nut to crack for India given is experience from the centre of the park and late runs into the box escaping his marker. He has scored 14 goals in 57 matches for the national team and would be a mainstay in Kim’s squad. Ri Yong-chol could also be a hindrance for the Indian attack as the defender has considerable experience although the way Korea have conceded of ate, scoring against them looks like a piece of cake.

India’s Approach

Honestly, India are in a better position clearly. In terms of their recent performance, changes in administration, and most importantly, the kind of talents that have come up in recent years, all point to the fact that the Blue Tigers would be fearless and express themselves better on the pitch. Igor Stimac has sent a signal of intent by beating Thailand in their backyard in the King’s Cup and would want to earn some home fans coming to the Intercontinental Cup.

And he would have a variety of challenges at his disposal in the tournament. While Tajikistan is expected to pose a physical challenge with their towering players and sturdy physique, DPR Korea would be coming up with something totally different. But, India could turn Korea’s weakness into a strength. While Stimac wouldn’t be successful playing long balls from the goalkeeper against Tajikistan, that ploy might work the best against North Korea.

The better headers in the side, like Sunil Chhetri, Adil Khan, and Ashique Kuruniyan could play crucial roles in winning the ball and launching attacks up front. However, if Korea sit deep, catching them on pace would be very difficult given their speed and intensity. Hence, set-pieces would be India’s biggest weapon against the Chollima.

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