Especially, the Kigwancha club is on everyone’s lips as it lifted the trophy again in the wake of last year.

Each match it played from the preliminaries was a seesaw battle and it rushed on to the finals by turning the tables on its opponents. Every scene of its matches was engraved in the minds of spectators, showing what kind of club Kigwancha is.

As a matter of fact, its score was not so optimistic in the four group league matches.

It scarcely managed to enter the next stage as the runner-up in its group with two wins, one draw and one defeat.

At the time chief coach Han Won Chol told journalists: “All clubs have become stronger than in last year’s games, so we find it more difficult to win each match. But I’m pleased with this. We will strive to be stronger as much as others.” The remarks reflected his resolute determination.

The match with Ryomyong in the next stage was also a heated offensive and defensive battle. The game went into extra time, but as no goal was scored it was decided by a penalty shootout.

After beating Ryomyong by a shave, Kigwancha confronted Rimyongsu which mounts piercing dagger-like attack centring on a forward who excels in individual skill, especially scoring capacity. Therefore, the latter was seen as a “swamp” to the former.

So far, Kigwancha had been employing a tactic of breaking through the defence at both wings, but it switched to the breakthrough at the centre by two- and three-men combination and header of a ball from corner kick as it buckled down to a bold offensive. This decision came out right in the final match.

“I felt I was seeing the old ‘soccer team representing workers’. Decades ago, the football team of the Kigwancha club unfolded excellent games amid the cheers from all workers throughout the country. Kigwancha represented and still represents our workers,” said amateur An Kum Chol after seeing the match.