The North Korean women’s soccer team lost to the Americans on Tuesday, eliminating the North Korean team from the Olympic soccer tournament. The final score of the match was 1-0, with American striker, Abby Wambach, scoring the only goal of the game in the 25th minute.

According to one American soccer player, Shannon Boxx, relations were friendly between the North Korean and American teams before the match. “We were in the same hotel as them and the girls were great…We played ping-pong and stuff like that.”

The North Korean soccer coach, Sin Ui Gun, told reporters after the match, "We are all thinking that against USA we shouldn't lose, we should win." It is likely that North Korea placed particular significance on this match, as America is often the focus of the state’s negative propaganda.

Despite this loss in soccer, North Korea has surprised the world with a particularly good athletic performance at this year’s London Olympics so far. North Korea is currently ranked 5th in the medal count with gold medals in both weightlifting and judo.