Japan last lost 1-0 to Bahrain in Manama on 26 March last year.But for a time it looked as though Japan would register a prestige win in front of almost 70,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

• 原因之一是足球在北韩本已颇为流行，即使国内基本以泥地场为主，但人民对足球的热爱程度仍丝毫不减，大街上到处可见足球比赛。