AFC Cup: Myanmar to play India in semis

Favourites DPR Korea maintained their clean slate defeating Myanmar by a solitary goal in their last Group B match of the AFC Challenge Cup football tournament at the Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday.

In the battle to decide the group topper, Ro Hak Su scored the all-important goal in the 16th minute of the match and later the Koreans hung on to the lead till the end.

Both the sides have already made it to the semifinals after winning their earlier two matches, but were in no mood to concede an inch to their opponents and pressed for a win.

With three wins from as many matches, DPR Korea top the group with nine points while Myanmar finished second with six points. The Koreans will play Group A runners-up Tajikistan while Myanmar will lock horns with hosts India in the semifinals on Thursday.

In another inconsequential Group B match played simultaneously at the Gachibowli Stadium, Nepal thrashed Sri Lanka 3-0 to notch up their only win in the tournament. 

Played under heavy ground conditions with the middle of the Lal Bahadur Stadium turning out to be a muddy field, DPR Korea had more of the attacks in the first half.

Even as the sparse crowd were yet to settle down, the Koreans had their first chance in the first minute itself but Ro Hak Su's right-footed volley was blocked by a Myanmar defender.

However, it was Hak Su who put his team ahead by firing home a powerful left footer from inside the box which gave Myanmar goalkeeper Aung Aung Oo hardly any time to react.