Myong Yu Jong's first-half hat-trick powers North Korea past Uzbekistan at Women's Asian Cup

SYDNEY — Myong Yu Jong completed a first-half hat-trick to set North Korea on course for a 3-0 win over Uzbekistan on Tuesday in its return to the Women’s Asian Cup for the first time since 2010.

Head coach Ri Song Ho has a North Korea squad featuring players he guided to the Under-20 Women's World Cup title in 2024.

North Korea won continental titles in 2001, 2003 and 2008 but hasn't played at the Women's Asian Cup since losing the final to Australia 16 years ago.

A ban following doping infringements at the 2011 Women's World Cup resulted in North Korea missing the 2014 Asian Cup. It failed to qualify for 2018 and missed the 2022 tournament because of travel restrictions imposed in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent strong results at the youth level — including back-to-back Under-17 World Cup titles in 2024 and last year and the Under-20 title — have increased the confidence within North Korea's young squad.

Myong's opening strike in the sixth minute followed a well-worked combination on the right.

Kim Kyong Yong passed wide for Chae Un Yong and then angled back into the box to meet a cross with a diving goalbound header that deflected off an Uzbek defender and bounced perfectly for Myong to fire over the goalkeeper.

Within minutes, Uzbek goalkeeper Maftuna Jonimqulova collided heavily with a teammate and needed treatment on her head and neck as she hunched down on the field. She was carried from the field on a stretcher with a protective neck brace on.

After a delay of about six minutes, the game restarted and Myong added penalties in the 24th and 41st minutes to make it 3-0 at halftime.

After a penalty was awarded for hand ball in the 40th, the 22-year-old Myong scored from the spot with a shot to the left that beat the diving goalkeeper in an almost repeat of her earlier attempt.

The Uzbek defense tightened up in the second half and held the North Koreans scoreless.

Defending champion China was playing Bangladesh in the later Group B match.

Iran's opener

On Monday night, Zahra Ghanbari and her Iran team stood while their national anthem played at the Gold Coast, a long way from the war that started on the weekend with a major attack by Israel and the United States.

Before the opening 3-0 loss to South Korea, Iran head coach Marziyeh Jafari declined to comment on the military strikes or the death of her country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying the squad needed to focus on the tournament.

Jafari said the match against the 2022 runners-up was a tough opener. It won't get any easier, with Iran getting two days off before facing host Australia at the same venue.

“All in all, it was a good game. (South) Korea played very well and I ultimately congratulate them,” she said. "But I hope that going forward we can recover in the next match.”

The Australians are coming off a 1-0 win over Philippines in the tournament opener that attracted a tournament record crowd of 44,379 in Perth, with hometown star Sam Kerr scoring the only goal.

Australia playmaker Amy Sayer said the Iranian squad deserves sympathy and respect for continuing to play the tournament.

“Our heart goes out to them and their families, it’s a difficult situation and it’s really brave of them to be able to be here and to perform,” Sayer said Tuesday. "They put on a really strong performance (against South Korea), even with the political climate that’s going on and the struggles that they might be going through.

“I think we’re excited and looking forward to the game on Thursday ... the best we can do to contribute is to just give them the best game of football that we’re able and to show them the respect on the field."