S. Korea beats Saudi Arabia in Olympic football qualifier

South Korea edged Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final round of the Asian football qualification for the 2012 London Olympics here on Sunday.

Midfielder Cho Young-cheol converted a penalty in the 33rd minute and South Korea held on for the win before about 27,000 fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

As South Korea prepared for a free kick from the left wing, Saudi defender Ahmed Walibi got tangled up with a South Korean player in the box, drawing a penalty. Cho put the ball past Saudi goalkeeper Hussain Shaian into the low right corner in the ensuing penalty and put South Korea on board.

Cho was one of four players from Japan's J-League who joined the Olympic squad beginning only Friday. Their respective Japanese teams refused to release them for South Korea's road game against Qatar last Wednesday.

South Korea dominated the ball in the first half. Before the penalty, Cho had a goal called back in the 25th minute, when he was caught in an offside position before heading in a loose ball from point-blank range.

Cho almost had his second score in the 41st minute, but Shaian made a great diving save on the Korean's low, hard shot from just inside the box.

In the second half, substitute Yun Suk-young tried to give South Korea an insurance goal in the 75th minute, but his rolling shot from a tough angle on the left was easily grabbed by Shaian.

South Korea remains atop Group A with seven points, on two wins and a draw. Oman, in second place after two games with three points, was to host Qatar in the second Group A contest on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia had few scoring chances, and its midfielders and defensive backs were busy chasing South Korean ball carriers for most of the match. The visiting side had more life over the final 30 minutes but only tested South Korean keeper Lee Bum-young in the 66th minute, when substitute Abdulrahim Jezawi forced a tough, punching save.

South Korea's next match is against Saudi Arabia on the road on Feb. 5 next year, followed by a trip to Oman on Feb. 22 and then the finale at home against Qatar on March 14.

In the final qualifying stage, there are three groups of four countries, and they play each other twice in the home-and-away format. Only the top seeds from those groups will secure berths in London. Three No. 2 teams will enter a playoff for the right to play in an international playoff, the final chance to qualify for London.

Group B includes Australia, Iraq, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates. Group C comprises Japan, Bahrain, Syria and Malaysia.

Seeking its seventh straight Olympic appearance and ninth overall, South Korea has never won a football medal at the Olympics. It has made it out of the first round only twice in eight previous appearances at Olympic tournaments.

Olympic football teams are open only to players younger than 23, but countries can pick up to three players over that cap in "wild card" selections. (Yonhap News)