Korea eliminated in Olympic women's football qualifying after draw vs. China

 

South Korea was eliminated in the Asian Olympic women's football qualifying tournament Wednesday, coming up short in their latest bid to qualify for the quadrennial tournament for the first time.

South Korea settled for a 1-1 draw against China in their final Group B match in the second round of the Asian Olympic qualifiers at Xiamen Egret Stadium in Xiamen, China, where a victory would have sent the Taegeuk Ladies to the next phase.

South Korea finished in second place in Group B with five points, two back of North Korea.

The second round featured three groups of four, and the three group winners and the best runner-up team moved on to the next phase.

Joining North Korea in the third round will be Group A winners Australia and Group C winners Japan. Uzbekistan finished as the best runner-up team in the second round, after beating India 3-0 to finish with six points and a goal difference of +2.

Earlier Wednesday, the Philippines wrapped up Group A play in Australia by beating Iran 1-0 to finish with six points, but they had a -4 goal difference.

South Korea would have won their group if they had let Shim Seo-yeon's 62nd-minute goal stand as the winner. Instead, Wang Shanhan netted the equalizer for China on 78 minutes, and the draw meant both South Korea and China, who finished in third place with four points, were both knocked out of the qualification campaign.

Women's football was first contested in the Olympics in 1996, and South Korea have never qualified.

South Korea and China were goalless in the first half. China had a goal wiped out on an offside call on 21 minutes, while South Korean veteran Ji So-yun struck the left goal post in a counterattack opportunity during added time.

Then Shim, the 34-year-old defender playing in her 87th match, headed home a Ji So-yun free kick to put South Korea on the board just past the hour mark.

China started pressing hard for an equalizer and got it when Wang's header, set up by a Yan Jinjin free kick, found the back of the Korean net.

Yan nearly put China in front with a right-footed shot that rolled just wide of the left post on 84 minutes.

In 42 meetings against China, South Korea have managed only five wins against eight draws and 29 losses. (Yonhap)