Japan look to end jinx, DRP Korea hope to reclaim glory

Kolkata, Nov 11 (UNI) Having seen their title hopes dashed for fives times in the final of the AFC Youth Championship, Japan will be eager to end the jinx here tomorrow, while arch-rivals DPR Korea will try to reclaim their hands on the crown after 16 years.

The two sides would be meeting for the second time in a space of two weeks with the first round in the battle of East Asian teams going to Japan in Bangalore when they won the opening Group C encounter 2-0.

They have a long history of rivalry in this tournament, having crossed swords four times.

In 1976, Japan defeated DPR Korea in the group stage, but the Koreans went on to share the title after a draw with Iran.

The Koreans levelled two years later. In this year's qualifiers, Japan had faced tough resistance from DPR Korea and a last-gasp goal from Michirio Yasuda saw them through.

The last meeting was in Bangalore when strikes from Kazuhisa Kawahara and Yosuke Kashiwagi led to a Japanese win.

''Our youth team was unfortunate on five occasions but this time I am confident that the team will deliver the title,'' Japan coach Yasushi Yoshida said.

Japan's confidence is based on the quality of players Yoshida has at his disposal.

Tsukasa Umesaki, who struts his stuff for Oita Trinita and also plays for the senior national team, Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers), Mike Havenaar (Yokohama F Marinos) and Sho Ito gave Yoshida abundant options on the pitch that the last two players found themselves warming the bench for most of the tournament.

If Yoshida needs a pair of fresh legs then he has super-sub Kota Aoki, who has earned the well deserved reputation of a match winner with his late strike in the quarterfinal against Saudi Arabia and again coolly slotting home in sudden death when players failed like they were taking a shot at an iron globe.

Midfielders Yasuhito Morishima and Kazuhisa Kawahara have been in brilliant touch weaving a maze of passes that have made them priceless in the team.

''It has been a good tournament so far for us and I hope it will end on a winning note. We will put in all our efforts for our first title but we cannot underestimate our rivals,'' Yoshida declared.

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