The second-round matches of the DPRK Premier League 2022-2023 kicked off at Kim Il Sung Stadium on May 10.

The three matches on May 10-11 between the Wolmido and Hwaeppul, Rimyongsu and April 25, and Ministry of Light Industry and Sobaeksu teams suggested that the second-round matches would grow more competitive.

Hwaeppul maintains its position, form

The match between the Wolmido and the Hwaeppul attracted the attention of fans from the beginning.

Four minutes into the match, a Hwaeppul player was yellow-carded for a foul and two minutes after it Wolmido players organized an excellent shot with a two- to three-person combination, but in vain. The Hwaeppul goalkeeper saved it by beating out the ball.

The Wolmido steadily picked up the attack speed while intensifying cooperation between half-backs and forwards, whereas the Hwaeppul strengthened one-to-one defence and changed five players in the first half to create a scoring chance with fast counterattack based on side break.

Finally, the latter won the match 2-0 by scoring in the 51st and 76th minutes.

Losing yet expected

The Rimyongsu lost to the April 25 0-1 in the first-round preliminaries and tied with it 0-0 in the 2023 spring national sports festival in April.

The match that day was the third game between the two teams this year.

The Rimyongsu was defeated again 1-2 in the match.

However, it showed that the team threatened the goal of the opponent more frequently until 27 minutes into the match and scored a thrilling point at the end of the match.

Though the April 25 won the game, football fans also congratulated Rimyongsu players who showed their potentiality, the new looks of the team.

They expressed their expectation that if it makes progress at the current rate, it would beat the April 25 in the near future.

All are strong

The Sobaeksu and Ministry of Light Industry teams also played a very close match.

The former ranked sixth in both the first-round Premier League and the 2023 spring national sports festival and the latter was placed ninth and tenth in them respectively.

So football fans predicted that the Sobaeksu would win.

As if to prove that they were right, it scored the opening goal in 28 minutes.

But in the whole course of the match the Ministry of Light Industry team showed that it was not weak at all.

It unfolded thrilling scenes in succession by threatening the opponent’s goal in the 35th, 47th, 62nd, 73rd and 84th minutes.

Its game play based on its tactics of strong one-to-one defence, close combination between defenders and forwards and perfect pass was enough to show the fans its new looks.

Saying that the Ministry of Light Industry team has developed a lot, the spectators added it should be noted that winners are never weak.