Koreans stave off Indian resistance to win 2-0

Chennai, Mar 28 (UNI) Despite putting up a better performance compared to their previous outing against Thailand in the home match, India went down by two goals 0-2 to DPR Korea to suffer their third defeat in as many matches in the Group E Pre-Olympic qualifiers for the 2008 Beijing Games, at the Nehru stadium here today.

The match belied expectations with India playing better than expected and the flamboyant and skilled Koreans performing below par especially in the first session.

After being foiled by the Indian defence and thwarting the Indian strikers Shaik Tarif Ahmed and Syed Nabi, who rattled the rival defence time and again, the Koreans stunned the Indian defence converting beautifully two fortuitous chances. They went into the lead as first Pak Nam Chol stopped a loose ball, coming his way from the right flank and unleashed a 23 yarder with the left foot. The ball swerved into the left corner of the net, even as a flabbergasted Indian goalkeeper Paul Subrat looked on aghast. That was in the 52nd minute.

The Koreans struck their second goal for a 2-0 lead in similar fashion when Jong Su Hyok also unleashed a left footer, latching on to a lose ball even as Indian defender Sunil Kumar tried to clear the ball. The goal came in the 77th minute.

The two goals sealed India's fate. For, the Koreans then thwarted the Indian forwards with their charectaristic rough tackles and played out time till the long whistle. The two goals for Korea came after the team failed to convert a penaly kick when Indian goal keeper Paul Subrata made a brilliant save diving to his left, the shot by Pak Nam Chol after Kim Kwang Hyog was fouled by defenders Sunil Kumar and Indian captain Manju inside the box.

It was really a tale of woes for Indians, who put up a much better performance than in the previous outing against Thailand, as the team's Irish coch Colm Joseph Toal said.

The win gave Korea their second victory and full points. They had defeated Thailand 1-0 and drawn with Iraq 3-3, after leading 3-2.

India will next meet DPR Korea in the away match at Pyongyang on April 18 and take on Iraq here on May 16. They had lost to Iraq already 0-3 in the away match, it may be recalled.

UNI