Teenage midfielder Ki Sung-yung salvaged a draw for South Korea in a dour World Cup qualifier against North Korea yesterday, the fourth draw between the teams in four meetings this year.
Ki volleyed an equalizer after 68 minutes, four minutes after Hong Yong-jo had given North Korea the lead with a penalty.
It was a tight game on a neutral ground, although South Korea, missing Manchester United star Park Ji-sung, was on top for most of the 90 minutes.
Hong scored from the spot after South Korea captain Kim Nam-il fouled him in the 64th.
But the South Koreans responded quickly to secure a point via Ki’s volley from the edge of the area.
North Korea now has four points from two matches and leads Group B in the fourth round of Asian qualifying. South Korea has one point from its opening match.
The last 10 Asian teams have been divided into two qualifying groups with four automatic spots at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa on the line.
NEW ZEALAND 3, NEW CALEDONIA 0
AP, AUCKLAND, New Zealand
Striker Shane Smeltz equaled a national record by scoring for the sixth straight game as New Zealand beat New Caledonia 3-0 in a World Cup Oceania qualifier yesterday.
New Zealand had already clinched top spot in the Oceania qualifying group by beating New Caledonia 3-1 in Noumea on the weekend.
That win had put New Zealand through to face the eventual fifth-placed team from ongoing Asian qualifiers, with the winner of that tie to get a place at South Africa 2010.
New Zealand was led from the back by Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Nelsen, who rushed to the airport soon after the final whistle to return to England for Saturday’s English Premier League match against Arsenal.
The Kiwis, who have qualified only once for the World Cup finals in 1982, have one more match to play in the series, against Fiji on Nov. 19.
VANUATU 2, FIJI 1
AP, PORT VILA
Vanuatu ended its bid to qualify for the 2010 World Cup with a 2-1 home win over Fiji on Wednesday, its first win in six matches in the final Oceania qualifying round.
The result reversed Fiji’s 2-0 win over Vanuatu in the first leg of their home-and-away series in Ba, Fiji, on Saturday, which was also Fiji’s only win in the round.
Vanuatu, reduced to 10 men after 50 minutes when veteran Godfrey Gete picked up his second booking, bowed out of the qualifying race with a morale-boosting win at Port Vila’s Municipal Stadium.
In doing so it also marked the end of the international careers of two Vanuatu stalwarts, goalkeeper David Chila, who is retiring after 97 national team appearances, and midfielder Kaison Maki.
Gete’s dismissal seemed to fire Vanuatu and Francois Sakama gave the home side the lead in the 57th minute with a brilliant individual strike.
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