S. Korea beats Oman 2-0 in Olympic football qualifier

 CHANGWON (Yonhap News) -- South Korea blanked Oman 2-0 at home Wednesday to start the final round of the Asian football qualification for the 2012 London Olympics.

Midfielder Yoon Bitgaram scored on a free kick in the 23rd minute and Kim Bo-kyung added an insurance midway through the second half at the Changwon Football Center here, about 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

Yoon drew the foul just outside the left edge of the box and took the free kick himself. His curling shot found the top right corner, out of reach of the diving goalkeeper Mahnad Obaid Al Zaabi.

Kim made it 2-0 for South Korea in the 74th when he took the pass from Yoon inside the box and drove to his right before rolling it past Al Zaabi to the far side.

After a quiet start, South Korea picked up pace following Yoon's opening goal. The home team's second-half onslaught culminated in Kim's score.

Oman had its best scoring chance in the 82nd minute. Forward Hamood Al Sadi sneaked behind the South Korean defense a low shot from the point blank range, but goalkeeper Ha Kang-jin made the diving save.

South Korea is paired with Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in Group A. Its next game is against Qatar on the road on Nov. 23.

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

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.