the North Korea. The selection therefore spent almost four years without playing official matches. For the 1986 World Cup qualifiers, they entered Group 4 alongside Japan and Singapore, two nations they had beaten four years previously. This time, it was the Japanese, led by Hiromi Hara who finished top of the group and continued their qualifying campaign. In 1988, the Chollimas did not participate in the 1988 Olympic tournament. Pyongyang had initially asked to be involved in the Games, a request refused by the International Olympic Committee, resulting in their boycott of the Games. As for the 1988 AFC Asian Cup qualification, North Korea only placed third in their qualifying group, behind Syria and Iran, both of which qualified for the Qatari tournament. In 1990, North Korea took part in the inaugural 1990 Dynasty Cup. The North Koreans finished in 3rd place. The following year, in the 1990 World Cup qualifiers, the North Koreans finished top of their first-round pool, winning all three of their home matches. In the final round, the Chollimas finished last, winning only one game, against Qatar. Two years later, in 1991, the federation took a historic decision as it hired a foreign manager for the first time, Hungarian Pál Csernai, the former coach of Bayern Munich. North Korea finished the 1992 AFC Asian Cup qualification in first, ahead of Macao, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It thus qualified for the second time in its history for the Asian Cup, twelve years after its successful debut in Kuwait. Csernai's men were drawn into Group 1, along with hosts Japan, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. This time, their tournament ended in the first round, finishing without a win and with only two goals scored (both by Kim Kwang-min). North Korea entered 1992 Olympic qualifiers, after two consecutive withdrawals. Placed in Group E, Pyongyang is chosen, along with Beijing, to host the qualifying matches. Once again, the final tournament escaped them, finishing in second place, behind China and ahead of Singapore, the Maldives and Nepal. Right after the Games, the selection takes part in the 1992 Dynasty Cup. Like two years before, the men of Csernai finished on the third step of the podium, behind Japan and South Korea, who faced each other in the final. Withdrawal period (1993–2005) Invigorated by their participation in the final phase of the 1992 Asian Cup, Csernai's men attack the qualification for