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S Korea win mens football Olympic bronze

Dunya News

South Korea defeated Japan 2-0 to win mens football bronze medal in London Olympics.

Park Chu-young scored a brilliant individual goal to help South Korea to a 2-0 victory over regional rivals Japan on Friday and its first medal in Olympic mens football.The bronze was also the first by any Asian team since 1968, when Japan took third place.Japan, which looked tired in its semifinal defeat to Mexico, started the match brighter.South Korea showed signs of frustration, with three players booked in the first 35 minutes before Parks goal in the 38th changed the course of the match.The striker, who was a substitute in South Koreas 3-0 semifinal loss to Brazil, picked up a deflected clearance just inside his own half, ran past two retreating defenders and then shot low past goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda.Park signed for Arsenal last year, but has not made the first team. British media reports this week said he will be leaving the North London club before the new season begins later this month.South Korea doubled its lead 10 minutes into the second half.After striker Yuki Otsu came close for Japan, keeper Jung Sung-ryong quickly kicked a ball upfield that was headed into the path of Koo Ja-cheol, who controlled with one touch then scored with his second in the 57th. Gonda kept his side in the match minutes later, pushing a powerful shot from Kim Bok-yung onto the right post.Otsu came close in the 67th, but failed to connect with a good pass into the box by substitute Kazuya Yamamura.Japan made three substitutes to try and make a breakthrough, yet struggled to get into good positions against a well-drilled South Korean defense. Captain Maya Yoshida scored what appeared to be a goal on a header in the 86th minute, but it was disallowed for a foul by Otsu on the goalkeeper.Brazil and Mexico play in the gold-medal match Saturday at Wembley Stadium.
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