North, South Korea in semis

Twice in arrears, North Korea rallied to hold their neighbours in a Group 'A' AFC women's championship match.

Defending champion North Korea and South Korea qualified for the semi-finals of the AFC women's championship after they drew 2-2 in a Group A soccer match in Bangkok on Monday.

Both teams ended with 10 points after four games, but North Korea topped the group on goal difference and will play Japan in the semi-finals on Thursday.

South Korea, which qualified for the last four as the best second-placed team, will meet China in the other semi-final, also on Thursday.

Overturning pre-match predictions, the South Koreans held the edge in the first-half with speed and tight marking. They took the lead in the 19th minute when Kim Jin-hee's powerful drive from outside the box hit the bar and the rebound fell to Lee Ji-Eun, who planted a powerful header into left-hand corner of the net.

The reverse spurred the defending champions into action, but they were denied an equalizer at 22 minutes when South's keeper Jung Ho-jung crudely felled striker Jin Pyol-hui on the edge of the area.

Jung was lucky to escape with only a yellow card.

On 38 minutes, North Korea drew level as Yun Yong-hui drifted infield from the left, wove her way past an opponent before looking up and unleashed a powerful, well-placed drive from 25 yards that gave Jung no chance.

South Korea retook the lead in the dying minutes of the half when North midfielder Ri Hyang-ok misjudged a cross from Sung Hyun-ah, allowing the ball to run to Hwang In-sun lurking

on the edge of the box.

South Korea started the second half brightly, with Park Eun-sun's powerful and direct running giving Sim Kum-ok and Jang Ok-gyong in the DRP Korea back line plenty to think about. But six minutes after the re-start, they were reduced to 10 players after Song Ju-hee was shown the red card, perhaps harshly, for a tackle from behind on Ru Un-gyong. Song will miss the semi-final through suspension.

The sending off changed the shape of the game, with Lee Ji-Eun dropping back into midfield, leaving Park on her own up front, and half-time substitute Kim Yoo-mi playing the holding role in front of the back four.

North Korea pressed forward but were twice denied an equaliser by the woodwork. First, Ri Kum-suk's header on 66 minutes at the far post grazed the bar and then, three minutes later, Jin also hit the bar after beating the keeper to a loose ball in the box.

But they were not to be denied and eventually drew level on 77 minutes after persistent work by Jin. The striker who scored a hat-trick to send China crashing out of the 2001 tournament evaded a number a number of tackles before placing a low right-foot shot across Jung in to the far corner for her eighth goal of the tournament.