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| [Olympic] Magnificent Koreans on top against Swiss |
| [ 2012-07-30 ] |
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| ⓒFIFA/GettyImages |
Korea Republic took a step closer to reaching the quarter-finals of the Olympic football tournament on Sunday by defeating Group B rivals Switzerland 2-1 in Coventry.
After a series of efforts to open the deadlock in the first half, the Taeguk Warriors took a deserved lead through a spectacular header from Park Chu-Young early in the second period. The Swiss pulled one back with an Innocent Emeghara header on the hour mark, but four minutes later Kim Bo-Kyung volleyed home the winner.
With the result the South Koreans trail Mexico, who beat Gabon 2-0 earlier in the afternoon, on goal difference ahead of their final group match against the West Africans on Wednesday.
The opening half proved to be a one-sided affair dominated by the Taeguk Warriors, with Park and Nam Tae-Hee causing all sorts of problems for the men in white. Park glanced a point-blank header off a Ki Sung-Yueng corner from the left, but Diego Benaglio did well to parry the ball away.
The Swiss No1 was again called into action as Ki and then Koo Ja-Cheol set up Park for a couple of half chances inside three minutes, only for the Arsenal marksman to shoot straight at the goalkeeper.
The second half continued in the same vain as the first, with the Koreans trying to find the routes from the flanks yet unable to convert their chances up front. But that was until the 57th minute when Nam sent an inviting cross from the right for Park, who dived from near the far post to head the ball past Benaglio.
However, the lead was short-lived as Emeghara headed home the equaliser only three minutes later, following a cross from the left channel.
But the Taeguk Warriors were undeterred by the setback, and bounced back four minutes later. Koo broke into the left to send a cross that was deflected before falling into the path of Kim, who fired a glorious volley into the top corner of the net.
Koo could have doubled his side’s advantage with nine minutes remaining, but the Korea Republic captain shot just over the crossbar.
Olympic Football Tournament London 2012, Group B
Korea Republic 2-1 Switzerland
29 July 2012, City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry
Scorers: Park Chu-Young 57’, Kim Bo-Kyung 64’; Emeghara 60’
Cautions: Park Jong-Woo 68’, Park Chu-Young 71’; Kasami 1’, Morganella 66’, Emeghara 88’, Drmic 90’+2
Korea Republic (4-2-3-1)
Jung Sung-Ryong; Yun Suk-Young, Kim Young-Kwon, Hwang Seok-Ho, Kim Chang-Soo; Ki Sung-Yueng, Park Jong-Woo; Kim Bo-Kyung, Koo Ja-Cheol (c), Nam Tae-Hee (Baek Sung-Dong 61’); Park Chu-Young (Ji Dong-Won 73’) / Coach: Hong Myung-Bo
Switzerland (4-2-3-1)
Benaglio (c); Morganella, Schaer, Klose, Rodriguez; Abrashi, Frei; Zuber, Kasami, Emeghara; Mehmedi / Coach: Pierluigi Tami
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