Remember a few weeks ago when North Korea’s Under-16s were in the news after a bizarre goal? Well, there’s been an update, and it’s one a couple of people seemed to suspect at the time.
Goalkeeper Jang Paek-ho conceded a ridiculously unlikely goal from Uzbekistan number one Jasurbek Umrzakov, in which he seemed to miss more than one opportunity to make up for misjudging a long punt from his opposite number.
Questions were asked after the incident, which conveniently gave North Korea what many perceived to be an easier draw in the competition and – ultimately – a place in next year’s Under-17 World Cup.
And it seems there’s no smoke without fire, with Jang being banned and fined for what the Asian Football Confederation calls “the deliberate conceding of a goal”.
https://twitter.com/Vahooos/status/779340005240037376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Jang has been fined $1,000 (just under £800) and North Korean official Yung Jong-su had been hit with a fine for five times the amount.
Both have also been handed 12-month bans, meaning the pair will play no part in the World Cup in India.
The North Korean Football Association, meanwhile, has been issued with a $20,000 fine and has been handed a suspended ban from the upcoming AFC Under-19 Championship, due to take place in 2018.
“Should the U-19 representative team of the DPR Korea Football Association engage in similar behaviour in the AFC U-19 Championship 2018 (Qualifiers), they will be automatically excluded from the competition,” the AFC’s statement reads.
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