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| Kwon Chang-hoon of South Korea (2nd from R) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against China during the teams' first match at the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Football Championship at Toyota Stadium in Toyota, Japan. (Photo from KFA) |
[아시아뉴스통신=레악카나 기자] SEOUL: South Korea defeated China 3-0 on Wednesday to begin their quest for the fourth consecutive East Asian men's football title. Forward Cho Gue-sung and midfielder Kwon Chang-hoon had a goal apiece at Toyota Stadium in Toyota, Japan, while South Korea also got an own goal from China in their first match of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship.
South Korea, world No. 28, now have 21 wins, 13 draws and two losses against the 78th-ranked China. South Korea will next face world No. 145 Hong Kong on Sunday, and then the 24th-ranked Japan next Wednesday. The country with the best record after the round-robin play will be crowned the champion. The EAFF competition began in 2003 and South Korea have won five of the eight titles so far, including the past three in a row. South Korea predictably dominated the match from the early moments against a mostly under-23 China team. Midfielders Na Sang-ho and Hwang In-beom each had good looks at the net, and Cho tested goalkeeper Han Jiaqi with a low shot in the 34th minute.
South Korea took the lead in the 39th minute on an own goal by Chinese defender Zhu Chenjie, who inadvertently headed a long pass from Kwon Kyung-won into his own net. Nine minutes into the second half, Kwon Chang-hoon slotted home a headed pass by Kim Jin-su to double South Korea's lead.
