DPR Korea seals second visit to World Cup finals
DPR Korea has caused a huge shock by qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa after holding Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw in Riyadh.
The Koreans knew a point would be good enough against the Saudi-s after Iran was held by DPR-s southern neighbours in Seoul, earlier in the day. DPR finished ahead of the Saudi-s on goal difference with both locked on 12 points, one point ahead of Iran.
Saudi Arabia was favoured to get the win it needed to advance automatically to the finals with the match being played in the warm climate of the middle east, but DPR-s defence held firm with their goalkeeper Ri Myong-Guk in superb form, holding out against the strong Saudi attack.
DPR's only previous appearance at a World Cup finals was in 1966 where they caused one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history by beating Italy 1-0 to make the quarter finals. In the quarter finals they led Portugal 3-0 after only about 25 minutes, before being beaten 5-3.
Iran's hopes of making their 3rd appearance at a World Cup finals vanished in their disappointing 1-1 draw with Korea Republic, after taking an early second half lead. Korea though equalised through Manchester United's Park Ji Sung late in the match.
Meanwhile in Group B, Bahrain confirmed their spot in the Asia play-off with a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan in Manama.
Mohamed Adbulrahman scored the only goal with just over 15 minutes remaining that lifted his side to 10 points and confined Uzbekistan to a disappointing bottom place of the Group B table. Uzbekistan was expected to be a darkhorse for one of the automatic spots in Group B, but failed to live up to their earlier good form in Stage 3 of the qualifiers.
Bahrain will now play Saudi Arabia in a two-legged play-off for the right to go and play Oceania winner New Zealand in one of two inter-continental play-off-s to decide the last two places at the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.