Pak Song Chol scored a hat-trick as DPR Korea beat Myanmar 4-0 in the third place play-off match of the AFC Challenge Cup.

Chol found the target in the ninth, 11th and 43rd minutes while Ro Hak Su chipped in one in the 53rd minute. With three goals from today's game, Chol became the highest scorer of the tournament with six goals.

The Koreans, ranked highest at 94th in the FIFA charts though they brought a second string team, found their touch at the Ambedkar Stadium where Asian Football Confederation had to shift for the third place play off and the summit clash between India and Tajikistan after incessant rains made the grounds in Hyderabad unplayable.

The East Asians, who lost to defending champions Tajikistan 0-1 in the semifinal, thus salvaged some pride in the eight nation tournament, the winners of which qualify for 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

On a ground far better than that of Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad, the Myanmarese began on a promising note but were down 0-2 by the 11th minute and were reduced to ten players just before half time after defender Han Win Aung was shown the red card for second bookable offence in the match.

Chol scored twice in this period both from free-kicks - the first from just outside the box in front of goal while the other came from outside the left edge of the box. The hat-trick goal also came from a death ball - via a spot kick - after striker Ho Jong Min was brought down inside the box by Han Win Aung, which led to the Myanmar defender being given the marching orders by the referee.

With one man advantage, the Koreans were the dominant side and eight minutes into the second half, Ro Hak Su added another goal from a header following a scramble in front of the goal.

The scoreline would have been 5-0 had not hat-trick man Chol missed another penalty kick two minutes from time.

The Myanmarese, who lost to India 0-1 in the semifinal in Hyderabad, failed to impress today against their superior rivals and hardly threatened the Korean goal. They had few shots at the rival goal, though without any success.

In the 17th minute of the match one of such effort was foiled by the Korean goal-keeper when he blocked a powerful long ranger from Myo Min Tun.