Li Yu-il, North Korea hometown team coach: "It seems Suwon has a lot of interest in football" [Suwon]

*This content was translated by AI.

Despite the dramatic comeback victory, he remained calm. Li Yu-il, coach of the North Korea hometown women's football team, continued the press conference in a matter-of-fact tone.

Under the leadership of coach Li Yu-il, the North Korea hometown women's football team advanced to the finals by defeating SuwonFC Women 2-1 in the AFC Women's Champions League (AWCL) semi-final held at 7 p.m. on the 20th at Suwon Sports Complex.

Hometown fell behind early in the second half but turned the tide with an equalizer by Jo Myung-ok and a dramatic header goal by Kim Kyung-yeong, overcoming a penalty kick crisis in the final moments of the second half to secure the win.

With this victory, Hometown has successfully advanced to the finals and will face Tokyo Verdy Beleza (Japan) on the 23rd in a final showdown for the top spot in Asia.

In the post-match press conference, coach Li Yu-il said, "The players showed great mental strength despite the heavy rain and the away game, and we played well. Tactically, there are many issues in both attack and defense. We will do our best to strengthen training in the remaining period and play an excellent match in the finals."

Captain Kim Kyung-yeong said, "It was a tough match. However, the Hometown players ran hard as one for the victory. Thanks to that, we were able to achieve today's result."

On this day, a private joint support group of about 3,000 people, established with 300 million won in support from the Ministry of Unification, visited Suwon Sports Complex. They cheered from the moment the Hometown players stepped onto the pitch, offering one-sided support during every attack and scoring opportunity to boost the team's morale.

In response to this environment, coach Li Yu-il said, "As you know, it was an intense match. As a coach, I was only focused on the game, so I didn't pay much attention to the surroundings. It seems the residents of this place (Suwon) have a high interest in football. Thank you."

Hometown was pushed back by SuwonFC Women's attacks during the first half, hitting the goalpost twice and narrowly avoiding conceding goals. They also allowed an early goal to Ayaka in the 5th minute of the second half, facing a difficult match. However, consecutive header goals in the second half turned the game around.

Regarding SuwonFC Women, coach Li Yu-il explained, "Any team that reaches the semi-finals is a strong team that can win the championship. I thought SuwonFC Women also has many experienced and capable players."

He continued, "Hometown lacks experience and the players are young. I hope this tournament will serve as a stepping stone for them to take the next step."

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*This content was translated by AI.