S. Korea's Olympic football qualifying matches rescheduled for April

All News 17:49 March 09, 2020

SEOUL, March 9 (Yonhap) -- Postponed Olympic women's football qualifying matches between South Korea and China have been rescheduled for April in light of the coronavirus outbreak in both countries.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced Monday that the home-and-home playoff series between these nations will be played on April 9 and 14. Venues will be determined later.

In this file photo from Feb. 9, 2020, South Korean players celebrate their 3-0 victory over Vietnam in their Group A match in the third round of the Asian qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at Jeju World Cup Stadium in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. (Yonhap)

These matches were initially scheduled for March 6 in South Korea and March 11 in China. The Chinese leg was first moved to Australia due to COVID-19 concerns. Then the South Korean host city of Yongin declined to stage the match, and the football federations of the two countries asked the AFC to move the series to April. The Korea Football Association has been adamant that its home leg must stay in the country, even if it is played in an empty stadium for safety reasons.

Virtually all Asian football action in China and South Korea, both heavily hit by the virus, has been wiped off the calendar from February and March. The continental governing body has been scrambling to reschedule AFC Champions League matches, and Asian FIFA World Cup qualifiers scheduled for March have been pushed back.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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