North Korea Withdraws from 2022 World Cup Qualifying
Low Ranked Team Struggles in International Competition
Five-Time Asian Cup Qualifier Bows Out of Tournament
TOKYO, Japan (AP) - North Korea has officially withdrawn from qualification for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed on Sunday.
The decision comes as a surprise, as the North Korean men's soccer team had already played two qualifying matches this month. However, their performance in these matches may have contributed to their withdrawal.
When North Korea took the field for their qualifying matches, close observers noticed an important roster change. The team, which was ranked 105th in the world by FIFA prior to the tournament, had a significantly weakened squad.
In their first match against Japan, North Korea lost 1-0 after conceding a goal within the first two minutes of the game. In their second match against Lebanon, they lost 2-0. These results leave North Korea with no points from their two qualifying matches.
North Korea's withdrawal from the World Cup qualifiers marks the end of their hopes of making a second appearance at the tournament. Their only previous appearance was in 2010, where they were eliminated in the group stage.
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