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North Korea: FIFA decision favors Japan North Korea on Friday said a FIFA decision to move its crucial World Cup qualifying match against Japan to Thailand after soccer violence in Pyongyang was part of a Japanese ploy to boost its chances. Soccer's world governing body ordered North Korea to play Wednesday's home match in a neutral country without spectators as punishment for crowd trouble during a home defeat against Iran in March. FIFA also fined the North Korean soccer association 20,000 Swiss francs (US$16,770; euro13,000). North Korea grudgingly accepted the decision last month after failing to meet FIFA deadlines to propose alternatives. The official Korean Central News Agency quoted commentary in sports publication Cheyuk Sinmun alleging that Japan sought the move for the game to bolster its chances of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. ``The 'decision' of the committee helped Japan realize its strong desire and entertain a hope. However, a hope does not mean a reality,'' the paper wrote. ``A hot match decides a winner and loser. The same is true of an international match. It is not so easy to win a match.'' Cheyuk Sinmun quoted North Korea coach Yun Jong Su as saying his players were determined to play well despite the venue shift. ``We are not disappointed at the results of the matches played so far, but our players will make redoubled efforts to live up to the expectations of the country and its people,'' he was quoted as saying. North Korea's last World Cup appearance was in 1966 when it made a surprise run to the quarterfinals in England.
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