Bengaluru, October 20: Politics has cast its shadow on the football pitch with North Korea and Malaysia set to play their 2019 Asian Cup qualifying matches at a neutral venue in November.
Diplomatic relations between the two Asian countries soured following the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in February.
In the wake of the killing, Malaysia barred its citizens from travelling to North Korea, which prevented the national team from playing a qualifier originally scheduled for March 28 in Pyongyang.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed that the match will now take place almost seven months after its original schedule at a neutral venue which will be announced later.
"In the interests of competition fairness, it has been decided that both matches between the two countries will be played at the same neutral venue," said AFC General Secretary Windsor John.
#ACQ2019 matches between DPR Korea and @FAM_Malaysia will both be played at a neutral venue in November.
— AFC (@theafcdotcom) October 20, 2017
READ: https://t.co/7wmkpOR0l0 pic.twitter.com/5WDaDS5Fbj
According to an AFC statement on their website, the order of matches has been maintained as the previously announced sequence to protect the sporting integrity of the competition.
Hence North Korea's 'home' match will take place on November 10 and the return fixture three days later.
"We're pleased that the two Member Associations, after much discussion, have been agreeable to this arrangement.
"Playing the games in this way, and in this order, helps us protect the sporting principles of the Asian Cup Final Qualifying Round," John added.