By Yoon Chul
The women’s football team is desperate to qualify for the London Olympics as it would be the first time for the squad to appear at the Summer Games.
But a 3-2 loss to North Korea in China on Monday has virtually dashed any hope of advancing from the final group stage with only one point from three matches.
The Taeguk Warriors have two more games against Australia and Thailand but they are unlikely to qualify even if they win both of them.
South Korea sits in fifth place with only Thailand behind them with three defeats.
Only two of Japan, North Korea, South Korea, China, Thailand and Australia will advance to compete in the 2012 London Olympic Games. Japan is in first place on nine points with three straight victories, followed by North Korea with seven.
One more point for North Korea from its final two matches against Japan and Thailand would leave South Korea no hope of qualifying.
Even if the team loses to Japan, it is hard to imagine Thailand upsetting North Korea.
China is currently in third place with five points ahead of Australia on three, meaning the women’s team has to rely on other teams to give them any chance of a place in London.
South Korea will not only have to hope results go their way but also beat Australia and Thailand by large margins to stay alive. The three teams above them have a goal difference of plus two, while South Korea’s is minus two.
On Monday, South Korea got off to a good start with Lee Hyun-young opening the scoring in the fifth minute. But four minutes later Ra Un-sim leveled the game.
North Korea took the lead in the 28th and Hwang Song-mi added a third in the 57th.
An own goal by North wrapped up the scoring leaving the South’s qualifying campaign hanging by a thread.
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