Four N Korean players give Brazil game a slip

Johannesburg: North Korea is scheduled to hold a press conference on Friday in which it would be asked why four of its players did not show up for the team's opening match of the World Cup.

Four players: forward An Chol Hyok, goalkeeper Kim Myong Won, and midfielders Kim Kyong Il and Pak Sung Hyok were listed as officially absent for the 2-1 loss to Brazil on Tuesday.

North Korea initially submitted the full list of its 23-man squad as available for the game, before revising that number to 19 on match day.

North Korea's next match is against Portugal on Monday in Cape Town.