S. Korea Survives China Scare
Park Scores Twice, Kwak Nets Winner in Chongqing Opener
By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
China has failed to defeat South Korea in international football for the past 30 years. And Kwak Tae-hwi has made sure that things stay that way.
The lanky defender whipped a superb volley past Chinese goalkeeper Zong Lei in stoppage time to award the Koreans a 3-2 victory against the hosts in their thrilling East Asian Football Championship opener in Chongqing, China, Sunday.
Kwak's winner stole the thunder from a virtuoso performance by striker Park Chu-young, whose two goals kept the Koreans in the game, which equally provided confidence and concern for manager Huh Jung-moo as he prepares for the team's next match against North Korea on Wednesday.
``We ruled the game for a larger amount of time and I am happy to take the win," Huh told reporters after the match.
``Our players were shaken after conceding the goals in the second-half and our defense in set piece situations left a lot to be desired. I think we will get better in the games to come," he said.
With the rain-drenched pitch at the Olympic Sports Center rightly predicting wild action, Huh gambled big with a three-striker attack against the spirited hosts, with Park camped in the middle and flanked with swift attackers Yeom Ki-hun and Lee Keun-ho.
The configuration provided plenty of width to the offense, especially on the right flank where the relentless Lee tormented opponents with his pace and trickery. However, the Koreans paid a price at the other end of the pitch, with their high defensive line consistently eroded by the Chinese attack.
The three-back line of Kwak, Kwak Hee-ju and Cho Yong-hyung, gave up more space than a lousy real estate agent, especially to Chinese attackers Du Zhenyu and Zhu Ting who created constant havoc around the goal area throughout the match.
Park ended the opening stalemate in the 42nd minute, when he headed home a flicker from Yeom to give the Koreans an early lead, his first goal for the senior national team in nearly two years.
With Park adding another strike in the second-half, Huh could only hope that the offensive outburst was just what the doctor ordered for the star striker to shake off his lengthy slump after returning from a foot injury last year.
The Koreans surrendered their lead just minutes after the second-half whistle. Zhu nearly tied in the 46th minute but saw his close-range effort blocked by the alert Korean goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong.
However, Jung couldn't bail out his teammates just a minute later when Zhou Haibin unleashed a screamer from just outside the box that tied the game at one apiece.
The Koreans played with a renewed sense of urgency after Zhou's goal, but Huh looked appalled on the sidelines after the Chinese found a way to score their second goal with relative ease.
Lu Zheng headed home a free kick attempt from Wang Dong to put his team ahead in the 61st minute, with the Koreans protesting in vain for an offside call.
However, Park delivered the equalizer just four minutes later. After the Chinese defenders conceded a free kick just outside of the box, Park curled a brilliant right-footer that found the top-left of the net.
Kwak seemed to win it for the Koreans in the 87th minute when he nodded in a cross from Kim Nam-il. However, the goal was ruled off after the referee penalized Kwak for being offside.
Eventually, Kwak took care of business in stoppage time, allowing the Koreans to escape with a win.