National Team Top Group to Reach Last 8 of Asian Cup


By Andrew Carroll
Sports Editor
The South Korean football team charged into the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup as the winners of Group B with a 4-0 romp over Kuwait in their third and final preliminary match Tuesday night in Jinan, China.

Kuwait offered little resistance as the Korean attack pulled the defense apart to go up 3-0 by halftime through a pair of goals by Lee Dong-gook and a 30-meter blast by Cha Du-ri in injury time while Ahn Jung-hwan wrapped up the landslide in the second half.

With seven points South Korea easily outpaced Jordan who fought the United Arab Emirates to a scoreless draw for their fifth point. Kuwait finish third with three points while the UAE managed just one.

By finishing top of Group B South Korea get to stay in Jinan for their quarterfinal match, most likely against the loser of today’s Group D match between Japan and Iran.

South Korea dominated possession in the first half as Kuwait tried to weather the storm and strike back on the counterattack. But their defenders were unable to handle the swift Korean attack down the wings with Cha and Park Jin-sub running riot on the right flank and Lee Young-pyo controlling the left.

Despite the continual breakthroughs the Koreans displayed their usual profligacy in front of the net as Lee Dong-gook and Cha both missed chances early on.

However, the two would combine for the opening goal as Cha ran onto a long ball in the 23rd minute and earned a free-kick just outside the Kuwaiti box as he was pulled down by Mesaed Neda.

As Lee stepped up and fired the ball at the Kuwaiti wall Jarah Al Ataiqi pulled away to let the ball go in uncontested while goalkeeper Shebab Kankone could only look on in disbelief.

The two hooked up again three minutes later but as Cha bore down on goal with a clear shot he elected to pass to a wide open Lee whose atrocious first touch allowed a defender to get across and block his shot.

After yellow cards were handed out to Kuwait’s Bader Al Mutwa and South Korea’s Kim Jin-kyu in separate incidents Park Jin-sub displayed why he should become a permanent fixture with the national squad, setting up the second goal with a nifty pass into the area.

Park had played the ball into the box a number of times but he finally connected with Lee Dong-gook in the 41st minute as the striker only had to redirect the ball with Kankone at his mercy.

With the half winding down and the Kuwait backline taking their foot off the pedal Park Ji-sung pounced on an errant pass and directed it to Cha Du-ri who worked some room and unleashed a rocket from 25 meters that Kankone couldn’t stop.

After the break Kuwait stormed out but the surge didn’t last long as they were unable to string together more than two passes.

Kuwait would finally get there first real chance in the 60th minute as substitute striker Fahad Al Hamad tested Lee Woon-jae from about 15 meters but the goalkeeper was up to the challenge and got down to corral the shot.

South Korea were never really in danger of losing control of the match and Ahn Jung-hwan netted the fourth goal in the 75th with a quick shot from 30 meters out that somehow eluded Kankone and beat him on the near post.

With the result no longer in doubt South Korea rode out the remaining time and head into the quarterfinals on a high note.

After opening with a scoreless draw against Jordan, South Korea beat the United Arab Emirates 2-0.

carrolland@speedpost.net