AFC Cup final moved from Pyongyang to Shanghai due to sanctions

Tensions are boiling in the Pyongyang area and the AFC Cup final is one of the events bearing the brunt of it. The AFC Cup final was scheduled to be played in Pyongyang next week. However, due to the rise in inter-Korean tensions, the venue for the final will now be moved to Shanghai instead. The final is scheduled to be played on November 2. The game is to be played between North Korea’s 4.25 SC and Lebanon’s Al Ahed. The Chinese Football Association have also confirmed that Shanghai will be the venue for the AFC final on November 2nd.

Also Read | Son Heung-min sends Message To His Fans, Says Their Support Is Amazing

Also Read | UCL, Man City Vs Atalanta: Player Ratings From Man City's 5-1 Win

North Korea vs South Korea - a historic fixture

The move comes just under a week after North Korea and South Korea played out an aggressive 0-0 draw at the Kim Il Sung Stadium. The game, which was a World Cup Qualifier, was the first match to be played in North Korea in close to 30 years. Speaking after the game, Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min said that he was happy just to have emerged unhurt after the secretive fixture against South Korea's belligerent neighbours.

Spectators and journalists were banned from the historic fixture. There was also no live broadcast of the game. The Seoul-based Korean Football Association did, however, send two representatives in order to tweet live updates from the game. Son also went on to say that playing in the game was like going to war. Interestingly, Son holds the record for the most goals scored by a South Korean player in a European season, netting 21 goals in Tottenham's 2016-17 season. 

Also Read | UCL 2019-20 | Man City Vs Atalanta Highlights And Key Moments

Also Read | Kylian Mbappe's Hat-trick Puts PSG In The Last-16 Driving Seat