S. Korea Beats Jordan 1-0, Maintaining Top

South Korea beat Jordan 1-0 in a 2010 World Cup qualifying match in Amman, Jordan, Saturday, surging ahead of North Korea to the top of Asian Group 3.

Striker Park Chu-young scored the winning goal came in the 24th minute with a penalty kick after Jordanian goalie Lo'ai El-Amaireh pushed Seol Ki-hyeon to the ground.

South Korea briefly lost its top position in its regional group for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa after North Korea downed Turkmenistan 1-0 at home hours earlier.

With the goal, South Korea regained its lead and North Korea trails in goal differences.

South Korea, which drew 2-2 with underdog Jordan last week in Seoul, beat Turkmenistan 4-0 on Feb. 7 and fought North Korea to a scoreless draw on March 26. It is scheduled to play Turkmenistan away next week and come back to Seoul on June 22 for a final encounter with North Korea.

Asia has been allotted 4.5 tickets for the 2010 World Cup. Five groups of four teams are competing in the third qualifying round, and only two from each group will advance to the final round.