sports

The third-round matches of the 2024-2025 DPRK Premier League are becoming the focus of attention from the beginning.

Six teams being recognized as strong ones among the domestic premier league teams made their appearances on the first day.

They included April 25 and Sobaeksu teams, the first and second placers of the current league, Amnokgang, Ryomyong and Pyongyang teams, the gold, silver and bronze medallists in the Hwaeppul Cup football tournament that came to an end shortly ago, and the Rimyongsu team which has made amazing progress since the second-round matches of the league.

The match between the April 25 and Pyongyang teams kicked off by the former attracted the constant attention of spectators.

A player of the Pyongyang tried a shot in the 12th minute, but the ball missed the goal slightly, and an April 25 player gave the ball a powerful kick over 25 metres away from the goal in the 48th minute, but it hit the crossbar to go outside. Thrilling scenes unfolded repeatedly, but no goal was made.

The following match between the Amnokgang and Sobaeksu teams also made a deep impression.

It was the fifth meeting for both teams this year. The Sobaeksu was superior to the former in game results until then. It beat the Amnokgang 2-0 respectively in the first-round match of the league in February and the ranking-deciding stage match of the senior men’s football tournament of the 14th National People’s Games in April and 3-1 in the second-round match of the league in May. The Amnokgang defeated the former 2-1 in the group league match of the Hwaeppul Cup football tournament.

In the game of that day, the Sobaeksu was relatively superior in ball possession and the number of attacks and shots, but a goal was made by the Amnokgang and thus the latter won 1-0.

In their head-to-head, the Ryomyong and Rimyongsu teams strove to put their tactical intentions into practice, but failed to make a goal.

All six teams put main efforts into defence and waged a fierce seesaw battle to control the midfield, while intensifying one-to-one defence against forwards.

Saying that mental strain on players greatly affected their matches, experts and fans attributed the cause of the day’s games witnessing only one goal to the fact that they were first-day matches and every match has a great influence on deciding the rankings in the league. They commented that only a goal in three matches predicts the fierceness of the third-round matches.