Soccer-The week in Asian football

"The decision, taken in consultation with FIFA and relevant stakeholders, comes after the AFC was informed on March 20 by the DPR Korea Football Association of the need to move the match to a neutral venue due to unavoidable circumstances," the AFC said in a statement. The two nations met in World Cup qualifying in Tokyo on Thursday, with Ao Tanaka's second minute goal securing a third successive win in Group B of the preliminaries for the Japanese.

Talking points from the week in Asian football:

NORTH KOREA'S WORLD CUP QUALIFIER AGAINST JAPAN CANCELLED North Korea's World Cup qualifier against Japan, which was due to be played in Pyongyang on Tuesday, was cancelled due to "unavoidable circumstances", the Asian Football Confederation said on Friday.

North Korea, which has no formal diplomatic relations with Tokyo, decided not to stage the match at the Kim Il Sung Stadium over worries about infectious diseases in Japan, according to Kyodo News. "The decision, taken in consultation with FIFA and relevant stakeholders, comes after the AFC was informed on March 20 by the DPR Korea Football Association of the need to move the match to a neutral venue due to unavoidable circumstances," the AFC said in a statement.

The two nations met in World Cup qualifying in Tokyo on Thursday, with Ao Tanaka's second minute goal securing a third successive win in Group B of the preliminaries for the Japanese. AFIF DOUBLES UP AS ASIAN CUP HOLDERS QATAR DOWN KUWAIT

Akram Afif scored twice as Asian champions Qatar defeated Kuwait 3-0 in Doha on Thursday to maintain their perfect start to the second round of the continent's preliminaries for the 2026 World Cup. Afif, wearing the captain's armband after Hassan Al-Haydos announced his international retirement at the weekend, opened and closed the scoring for Marquez Lopez's side as Qatar moved on to nine points from three Group A matches.

The win moves the Asian Cup holders five points clear at the top of the group standings, with India in second after a 0-0 draw with Afghanistan. SUPHANAT STRIKES TO EARN THAILAND DRAW WITH SOUTH KOREANS

South Korea were held to a 1-1 draw by Thailand in Seoul in the second round of Asia's preliminaries for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday in their first game since Juergen Klinsmann was sacked after a disappointing Asian Cup campaign. Son Heung-min had put the home side ahead three minutes before the break when he side-footed home from eight yards out, but Supanhat Mueanta levelled from close range in the 61st minute.

The result denied interim coach Hwang Sun-hong victory in his first game in charge, although the South Koreans still lead Group C by three points from Thailand at the halfway point. CHINA SKIPPER ZHANG CONSIDERS QUITTING AFTER SINGAPORE DRAW

China captain Zhang Yuning said he was considering retirement from international football after his side were held to a 2-2 draw by Singapore in World Cup qualifying on Thursday. The 34-year-old defender, a two-times Asian Champions League winner with Guangzhou Evergrande, suggested he would quit a team that had squandered a two-goal lead to draw with the South East Asian side in their Group C encounter.

"I think it's time for me to call it a day on my international career," he said. "When our team had problems in the match, the approaches we took were unacceptable to me."