DPR Korea confident, Jordan determined to lead charmed life

Kolkata, Nov 8 (UNI) DPR Korea and Jordan will battle it out to establish themselves as powerhouse of Asian Youth Soccer when the two clash in the semifinal of the AFC Youth Championships tomorrow.

Jordan sprang a surprise by defeating China, the runners-up in the last edition of the competition, in the quarters. Emboldened by that, Jordan are eager to do one better.

Jordan's Danish coach Jan Poulsen said, '' We know we have done very well in the competition and now we are on high spirits to even better. '' '' We are aware that we are oine game away from the final and will like to play like that, '' he added.

Asked about his strategy he said he would like to make the defence stronger and keep up the pace throughout the match.

Qualifying for the AFC Youth Championship, 2006, was a kind of first for the Jordanians, who last featured in this competition way back in 1978. But at that time there was no qualifying and Jordan finished last in Group A of the final, failing to make the grade for the knockout stage.

Jordan might be qualifying for the first time but they sewed up their qualification at the cost of heavyweights like Bahrain and Qatar, both former runners-up.

With the qualifying group matches taking place in Amman, Jordan took apart Qatar 4-1 in the opener which saw Loiy Al Zaideh, Anas Hijah, Ahmad Nofal and Adnan Hasan bulging the net.

'' Nofal, Baha and Suleiman are still some of the best players in the group and they can turn things on their head, '' he added.

In contrast Tak Young Bin, DPR Korea's manager, was confident of a final entry.

''We have won some very tough matches and we are confident of doing well in the semifinal too. We ahev good players and play collective soccer that gives us its strength,'' he said.

DPR Korea needed a stroke of luck to make the final this time after 16 long years. They last featured in the AFC Youth Championship in 1990 when they reached the Final in Jakarta only to lose to perennial champions, their Southern neigbours, Korea Republic on penalties 4-3.

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