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"Fans in Suwon welcomed DPRK side Naegohyang Women's FC on Saturday after the club defeated Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 to win the AFC Women's Champions League. Footage captured at Suwon Sports Complex on Saturday shows fans cheering as Naegohyang players leave the pitch, head to the dressing room, and board their team bus after the final, with supporters also seen waving as the DPRK squad departs the stadium. "I was surprised to see that women's football is played so physically, with intense challenges and body contact. As a football fan, I hope more people will take an interest in women's football in the future," a fan said. "Putting politics aside, we are one people, so I would always welcome matches like this. As a fellow Koreans, I also have the will to share a sense of unity and goodwill," another added. The final was a low-scoring contest settled just before half-time when captain Kim Kyong Yong finished from close range after a quick attacking move, putting Naegohyang ahead. Tokyo Verdy Beleza applied sustained pressure after the break and pushed for an equaliser, but the DPRK defence stayed firm to secure the win. The result completed a strong run for Naegohyang, who had also beaten South Korea's Suwon FC Women in the semi-finals earlier in the week. The tournament marked the first visit by a DPRK sports team to the South in over seven years, amid continued strain in inter-Korean relations, with Seoul approving the trip under the exchange rules."
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