China Fail Again to Break South Korea Jinx

China Lost to South Korea 0-1

Kim Do Hoon's sole goal on Friday gave South Korea a 1-0 win over China and maintained South Korea's unbeaten record at the annual soccer conflict between the two countries.

The striker turned around to cut into China's defence from the right flank before he slotted past the goalkeeper Jiang Jin in the 66th minute.

The South Korean team, which will compete in the Sydney Olympics in September, kept their glorious record against China, who have never beaten their regional arch-rivals in the East Asia for more than a decade.

But South Korean coach Huh Jung Moo was not content with the first-half performances of his inexperienced team.

"The star players hadn't good understandings with other teammates, and I'm not satisfied with the first-half," said Huh. " Things changed in the second half."

China had at least four clear chances to open the mark before the interval. Li Jinyu had the best opportunity to score but his powerful header was palmed away by the diving South Korean goalkeeper Kim Yong Dae in the injury time of the first half. "We didn't take the chances to find the goal, but a mistake in the second half cost us the game," said the Chinese team coach Bora Milutinovic.

Milutinovic fielded eight substitutes in the second half and China lost the control of the game after the changes.

"I'd like to create a competitive atmosphere in the national squad," Milutinovic said.

The Yugoslavian, who led Mexico, Costa Rica and the United States to the World Cup Finals before he came to China January, did not comment on China's lackluster performances in the second half.

He asked Xinhua reporter whether he saw the goalkeeper Kim won the Player of the Match, and said that award gave the answer to the final result.