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The UAE Team dash hopes with a 0-2 defeat to South Korea

 

The UAE Senior Football Team dashed their hopes after failing to open their account in the Asian 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Brazil following their 0-2 loss to the visiting Team South Korea in round four match played this evening at Rashid Stadium in Al Ahli Club in Dubai. The winners raised their tally to 10 points to stay on top of Group "B" while UAE are classified at the bottom of the group with no points. The losers are left with two games to play where they will travel to Kuwait to face their counterparts there on Tuesday this week and will conclude their participation in this stage when they meet Lebanon in the 6th and last round.

The two teams ended the match with a goalless draw after both played a balanced match, but failed to find the back of the net despite of the few number of opportunities that came their way. The hosts squad pressed hard from the word go trying to score an early goal that would have boost their morals and help them play with more confidence, but the Korean defense stood solid on their way and spoiled all their attempts led by Ismail Mattar, Ismail Al Hamadi along with Ahmed Khalil who participated after the break, Ali Al Wihaibi and Abdullah Mousa who put more pressure on the opponents' defense from the right and left flanks. The UAE front liners came close to score in many occasions but they were unlucky to see some of their vollies missed the target and some others saved by the Korean goalkeeper. The Koreans also had some scoring chances but the host team's defenders and goalie Majid Naser deprived them from benefiting from the chances they created up to the 85th minute which witnessed the Koreans' first goal. The unmarked Korean striker Lee Chu Soo capitalized on the ball switched by his team mate from the left flank which passed the goalkeeper and the defenders to drive it home giving his side the lead. His colleague Park Ji Sung scored the second goal three minutes into injury time to secure a 2-0 win for the Koreans.