“For today's match, our target was to, at least, draw. But for the next home match, we will try our best to win it and make it to the (Inter-Zone) final,” said O.

The DPR Korea club team had arrived into the contest as the favorites as they appeared in their third consecutive AFC Cup Inter-Zone Semi-final, having made the final last year.

O, however, was pleased at his side's resilience as they stood toe-to-toe with Abahani in a match which saw both sides exchanging the lead before the Bangladesh club took a slight advantage going into the return leg in Pyongyang on Wednesday.

With home ground advantage in the second leg, O and his players will be confident of seeing of Abahani for a place in their second consecutive AFC Cup Inter-Zone final, having lost last year's decider to Altyn Asyr of Turkmenistan.

Photos: AFC