NKorean keeper banned from U17 World Cup for allowing goal

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – A goalkeeper from North Korea who failed to stop an opposing goalkeeper’s kick from scoring has been banned from the Under-17 World Cup for “bringing the game into disrepute.”

The official YouTube clip of Jang Paek Ho’s effort in an Asian Under-16 Championship match against Uzbekistan in September has already been viewed more than 4.5 million times.

On Friday, the Asian Football Confederation said it imposed a 12-month ban on Jang Paek Ho and North Korea under-16 team coach Yung Jong Su.

“The effect of the match suspensions also means that Yung and Jang are now suspended from the FIFA U-17 World Cup,” the Asian body said.

The U-17 World Cup will be played in India next October.

The AFC said the North Korean soccer federation was also guilty of bringing the game into disrepute and fined $20,000. Jang was fined $1,000 and coach Yung was fined $5,000.

North Korea’s loss to Uzbekistan ensured it got an easier opponent in the quarterfinals. With the four semifinalists all qualifying for the FIFA tournament, North Korea advanced and Uzbekistan did not.

The goal gave Uzbekistan a 1-0 lead early in the second half lead. It went on to beat North Korea 3-1 and earned a quarterfinal match against eventual champion Iraq.

By losing and finishing runner-up in its group, North Korea next faced lower-ranked Oman, which it beat in a penalty shootout.

“Should the U-19 representative team of the (North) Korea Football Association engage in similar behaviour in the AFC U-19 Championship 2018 (qualifiers), they will be automatically excluded from the competition,” the Asian governing body said.

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