DPR Korea beats Iraq, qualifies alongside Qatar

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Tuesday, October 14th 2014 04:11 PM

Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar: Goals from Jo Kwang-myong and Kim Yu-song took three-times champions DPR Korea through to the quarter-finals of the AFC U-19 Championship at the expense of 2012 finalists Iraq, who were downed 2-1 by the East Asians in the Group D finale on Tuesday. Although Iraq needed just a point from the game at Wunna Theikdi Stadium to advance to the knockout stages, they were rocked by Jo's 50th minute opener, an advantage which was then doubled by strike-partner So 11 minutes later, and it was a deficit that proved too difficult to overcome for the five-time champions despite Alaa Mhawi's late stoppage-time goal. The Koreans' reward as group runners-up will be a meeting with Japan in Friday's quarter-final in Nay Pyi Taw, while Group D winners Qatar, having defeated Oman 2-0 in Yangon in the day's other game, will now face Group C runners-up China.