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N. Korean goal stirs Chinese fans
By Wang Xiang |
June 17, 2010, Thursday
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Online Edition
Online Edition
WHEN North Korea challenged top-rated Brazil with a goal early Wednesday, their World Cup performance reminded Chinese football fans of their own bitter experience in 2002.
Many Chinese fans were converted to cheer for North Korea in South Africa, after China's own national team failed to qualify in the finals, Sina Sports reported today.
The hundreds of Chinese fans were dubbed the "volunteer army" to support the North Korean team. Though Brazil won 2-1, the "volunteers" were still overcome by North Korea's last-minute score and the strong will the team showed in its first appearance at the World Cup since 1966.
North Korea's score also aroused a sense of humiliation for China's own national football team. According to an editorial by Xinhua news agency today, the only lesson North Korea taught Chinese football is that "we were left so far behind."
China qualified for the World Cup finals in 2002, only to return home without scoring a single goal in three straight defeats.
Before the finals started in South Africa, Son Kwang-Ho, vice-president of the North Korea Football Association, told reporters that "North Korea will win the World Cup because of the great support of our Dear Leader Kim Jong-Il."
North Korea's chances are minimal considering they were placed in the "Group of Death" with Ivory Coast, Portugal, and Brazil. But their tough attitudes have shown that they were not the outsiders everybody else expected them to be.
Many Chinese fans were converted to cheer for North Korea in South Africa, after China's own national team failed to qualify in the finals, Sina Sports reported today.
The hundreds of Chinese fans were dubbed the "volunteer army" to support the North Korean team. Though Brazil won 2-1, the "volunteers" were still overcome by North Korea's last-minute score and the strong will the team showed in its first appearance at the World Cup since 1966.
North Korea's score also aroused a sense of humiliation for China's own national football team. According to an editorial by Xinhua news agency today, the only lesson North Korea taught Chinese football is that "we were left so far behind."
China qualified for the World Cup finals in 2002, only to return home without scoring a single goal in three straight defeats.
Before the finals started in South Africa, Son Kwang-Ho, vice-president of the North Korea Football Association, told reporters that "North Korea will win the World Cup because of the great support of our Dear Leader Kim Jong-Il."
North Korea's chances are minimal considering they were placed in the "Group of Death" with Ivory Coast, Portugal, and Brazil. But their tough attitudes have shown that they were not the outsiders everybody else expected them to be.
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