Captain Jang Kuk-chol scored five minutes from time to salvage a point for North Korea as their seesaw battle with Saudi Arabia in Group B of the AFC U-23 Championship ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Jang scored after the Saudi defence failed to clear the ball and the draw keeps North Korea’s hopes of a place in the knockout phase alive with their final match against Thailand remaining.
Substitute Abdulfattah Asiri looked like he had inspired Saudi Arabia to victory when he played a key role in two second-half goals that put the West Asians in front for the first time, but Jang’s intervention ruined the Saudis’ day. Kim Yong-il had given the Koreans the lead in the 27th minute before Mohamed Kanno levelled five minutes ahead of the break, only for Yun Il-gwang to restore North Korea’s advantage nine minutes after the restart.
Asiri’s introduction soon after swung the game in Saudi Arabia’s favour, however, with Fahad Al Muwallad claiming the second equaliser before Abdulrahman Al Ghamdi put the Saudis in front in the 69th minute. That lead lasted for 16 minutes, when Jang struck to earn Yun Jong-su’s team their first point of the tournament after losing to Japan in their opening game.
The Saudis went into the game off the back of a disappointing draw with Thailand in their opening fixture and they threatened early in the game, with Mohamed Al Saiari and Al Muwallad both testing the Korean defence.
In the 27th minute, however, North Korea took the lead when Kim Yong-il latched onto Kim Ju-song’s well-weighted through ball before sliding the ball under Saudi goalkeeper Ahmad Al Harbi.
Saudi Arabia pushed for the equaliser, with Kanno rising to steer his header into the top corner from Al Muwallad’s pin-point cross.
North Korea reclaimed the lead in the 54th minute when Kim Ju-song cut the ball back from the left into Yun Il-gwang’s path and the midfielder made no mistake, side-footing his effort into the corner. That brought the introduction of Asiri as Adrie Koster gambled, and it was a move that paid off handsomely.
By the 62nd minute the Saudis were level after Asiri won the ball inside the DPR Korea half before laying off to Al Ghamdi, who turn set up Al Muwallad to equalise with a shot across An Tae-song that drifted into the corner.
Seven minutes later, the Saudis were in front for the first time in the game, with Asiri playing the final ball through at the end of a fine move to allow Al Ghamdi to score. Saudi Arabia looked good for all three points but, with five minutes to go, the defence failed to clear and Jang Kuk-chol stepped up to hit a firm right foot drive past Al Harbi from eight yards out to seal a result that keeps both teams alive in Group B.