North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC defeated South Korea’s Suwon FC Women 2–1 in a tightly contested Asian Women’s Champions League semi-final at Suwon Sports Complex on Wednesday, advancing to the final where they will face Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
The match marked a rare sporting encounter between North and South Korea, with Naegohyang becoming the first North Korean sports team to visit the South in eight years. Despite heavy rain and difficult pitch conditions, the game was played in a competitive but fair atmosphere, with no major incidents reported.
Suwon FC took the lead in the 49th minute through Japanese striker Haruhi Suzuki, who capitalized on defensive hesitation to finish a close-range chance. However, Naegohyang responded quickly, equalising in the 55th minute when Choe headed home from a free-kick delivery. The North Korean side then completed the comeback in the 67th minute, as Kim Kyong Yong scored with a header after a scrappy attacking move inside the box.
The turning point came late in the match when Suwon captain and former Chelsea midfielder Ji So-yun missed a crucial penalty after a VAR review confirmed the decision. Her shot went wide despite the goalkeeper diving the wrong way, denying Suwon a chance to equalise in the closing stages.
The semi-final attracted significant public interest, with 7,087 tickets sold quickly ahead of the match. However, bad weather left many seats empty at the open-air stadium. Attendance included local spectators and civic groups affiliated with Seoul’s unification ministry, while Suwon supporters created most of the atmosphere with drums and chants. No official North Korean fans were present due to restrictions on travel between the two countries, which remain technically at war since 1950.
Earlier in the competition, Naegohyang had already defeated Suwon 3–0 in the group stage, reinforcing their dominance in the tournament. In the other semi-final, Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza secured their place in the final with a 3–1 victory over Melbourne City, setting up a North Korea–Japan showdown for the title.