Action from the Korea Republic-Myanmar match in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2006 at the Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, on July 22, 2006. Korea Republic won 3-1. AFC photo by Tom Miletic

By Etsuko Miyazaki

ADELAIDE: Korea Republic overcame stiff opposition from Myanmar in a tight Group B game to win 3-1 in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2006 on Saturday.

The win succeeded in leaving the qualification from the five-team group tantalisingly poised with three teams – Australia, defending champions DPR Korea and now Korea Republic - on six points, separated only by goal difference. Thailand have three points from one game while Myanmar will will return home without earning a single point in the competition.

After hitting the comeback trail with an 11-0 thrashing of Thailand, Korea Republic needed to beat the Myanmarese today to stay in contention for a place in the semifinals.

The start was promising with the Koreans moving the ball fluently and with intent, and one such passing movement ended in Kim Joo-hee scoring after getting her head to a cross from the right dispatched by Park Eun-jung in the seventh minute.

Myanmar almost equalised six minutes later when Wann Zin Mar unleashed a rocket from distance but the ball missed the goal by inches. Korea doubled the advantage on 35 minutes when Jung Jung-suk sent in a cross on the run from the right and goalkeeper Min May Khin Ya flapped at the ball. Jin Suk-hee slid opportunistically at the far post to poke the ball in.

The Koreans struggled to keep up the momentum in the second half as Myanmar found their rhythm, with Htwe Daw My Nilar and Wann threatening continually.

On the hour mark, Korean coach Ahn Jong-kwan detected a note of complacency and replaced goalscorer Park with Kang Sun-mi and striker Cha Yun-hee with Kim Jin-hee to shake up things.

The substitutions paid dividends as Jung-suk scored five minutes later, connecting powerfully to a long cross from defender Hong Kyung-suk despite being marked by a defender.

A minute before full time the Myanmarese goalkeeper collected a speculative long ball and threw it to right midfielder Naing San Yu who floated it over four Koreans to Hlaing Aye Nandar for a right-footed scorcher which Jun Min-kyung had no chance of stopping. “This is not really football as there was too much defensive play,” said Korean coach Ahn. “I think that as the tournament goes on our team will get better.”

“The next match against DPR Korea will be tough but we will not play like we did against Myanmar.”

Myanmarese coach Woll Aye Kyu was delighted with the last minute goal. “I know how difficult it is to score against the big countries. But when the Koreans tried for more goals we counterattacked. The goal was not expected. I am very happy to see a goal being scored by us against a high level team.”

Myanmarese goalscorer Nandar was beside herself with joy. “I am very happy that I could score against a big team like Korea. This is very good for Myanmarese women’s football.”

Korea Republic’s next match is a must-win encounter against neighbours DPR Korea on July 24.