South Korea seal soccer semi berth with win over Japan

Skipper Jang Hyun-soo powered home a late penalty to give South Korea a deserved 1-0 win over rivals Japan in the men's soccer quarter-finals of the Asian Games on Sunday.

The Koreans, trying to win gold for the first time since the 1986 Asiad in Seoul, dominated possession throughout the game at Incheon's Munhak Stadium but passed up a succession of chances to leave the majority of the 43,000 fans on edge.

With just minutes left on the clock, Japanese captain Ryota Oshima inexplicably barged over the top of Lee Jong-ho as they contested a bouncing ball, slamming the Korean substitute into the turf face-first and leaving blood streaming from his nose.

Saudi referee Marai Mohammed Alawaji had no hesitation in whistling for the penalty and Jang sent Japanese goalkeeper Ayumi Niekawa the wrong way.

Japan coach Makoto Teguramori was happy his team had stuck to the game plan and said they had given a good account of themselves on Korean turf.

"Had there not been a penalty and we had played extra time I think Korea might have exhausted themselves," he said. "It is going to be a good experience for our team despite the loss today."

His Korean counterpart, however, thought his side were only getting stronger.

"I think we tend to score more goals in the second half than the first because our players are physically stronger," Lee Kwang-jong told a news conference.

Striker Kim Shin-wook, who missed the quarter-final through injury, would be in contention for a place in the semis, he added.

In the day's other quarter-final games, Thailand beat Jordan 2-0, North Korea edged United Arab Emirates 1-0 and Iraq thumped Saudi Arabia 3-0.

South Korea will meet the Thais and North Korea will play Iraq in the last four on Tuesday.