Nanjing: Anyone thinking Thomas Gerstner’s side would become complacent following their perfect group stage campaign should think again, according to the DPR Korea boss.
Speaking ahead of DPR Korea’s AFC U-19 Women’s Championship semi-final against Australia – the winner of which will qualify for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup – Gerstner said his team was looking forward, not back.
“In total we had three nice matches and (my players) did many things well, but this is history,” said the former Arminia Bielefeld manager.
“I don’t prefer to talk about the past. I want to speak about the future, and the future is one match tomorrow against a strong opponent.
“We saw (Australia) three times. We analysed them. My team will be very prepared as usual.
“Three victories in the group stage was nice, but it’s nothing now. Like them, we start at zero.”
DPR Korea – who currently hold world titles in both the U-17 and U-20 women’s categories – have been highly impressive thus far, winning all three matches, and scoring 13 goals without conceding any at the other end.
Understandably, relative newcomer Gerstner says he inherited a team playing at a high level, but says he has been able to leave his mark on the team’s playing style.
“When I arrived in April, the team was already strong,” he said.
“I think my experience as a professional coach in professional clubs in Germany and Austria will help them.
“On the pitch, you can see we have changed. We are playing faster, we are playing more forward, so I think that is one of the reason why it looks very nice, and they improved and increased their physical condition as well.”
With Australia one win away from a first FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 12 years, Young Matildas head coach Gary van Egmond was full of praise for his opponents.
“We know that to get to this stage, all the teams are very, very good,” said van Egmond, who led Newcastle Jets to their only AFC Champions League Appearance in 2009.
“We’ve seen (DPR Korea) three times and they have been very impressive. We’re under no illusions, but you never know what occurs in games.
“It would be the first time to qualify (for the semi-finals) in 12 years, and this group is very committed. They’re looking forward to the challenge, they want to be challenged by the best teams, and it’s fantastic that we’re in this semi final.
“It’s not every day do you get the opportunity to go to a World Cup, so our players will be working extremely hard to try and earn this,” he closed.
Australia’s senior women’s team – where van Egmond’s daughter Emily is a key player – have enjoyed a purple patch in the last two years and are now ranked sixth in FIFA’s World Rankings.
The affable mentor believes his young charges can take encouragement from the successes of their elders.
“Australia has definitely risen in women’s football over the last couple of years,” he said.
“From the (2015 Women’s) World Cup, where we qualified in Canada, to qualifying in the Olympics for the first time in a long time, and the rankings – they’re going higher.
“We had a number of younger players, who got exposure very early to World Cups – in Germany (2011) for example – so a number of young girls got experience very early and it has led to our national team becoming stronger.
“Our style has also changed, we’ve become a lot more proactive, which, from our culture and the way that we are as people, is very natural to us,” he said, adding that he believes his players are becoming more comfortable as the tournament goes on.
DPR Korea have won all four of their matches against Australia in AFC U-19 Women’s Championship history, recording a 6-2 triumph in their last meeting four years ago.
With the odds seemingly stacked against them, van Egmond called on his players to show courage.
“We need to be brave, we need to play with no fear. We know that we’re against a strong opponent and we embrace that.”
“We know that we have to continue being brave to give ourselves the best chance of winning.”
DPR Korea v Australia – AFC U-19 Women’s Championship Head to Head
Year Result Stage Venue 2006 DPR Korea 4-2 Australia Semi-final Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2007 DPR Korea 2-1 Australia Group Stage Wuhan, China PR 2011 DPR Korea 1-0 Australia Round Robin Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 2013 DPR Korea 6-2 Australia Round Robin Nanjing, China PR
Photos: AFC
Source: the-afc.com