World Football

S.Korea thrash Turkmenistan in 2010 qualifier

14:19 GMT, Wed 6 Feb 2008
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South Korea's Seol Ki-hyeon (R) celebrates his goal with his team mates Park Chu-young (10), Kim Nam-il (top) and Lee Young-pyo (L) during the round three 2010 World Cup qualifying soccer match against Turkmenistan in Seoul February 6, 2008. REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won (SOUTH KOREA)

(Adds quote from South Korea coach)

SEOUL, Feb 6 (Reuters) - South Korea beat Turkmenistan 4-0 in their first World Cup qualifier on Wednesday, as English Premier League players Seol Ki-hyeon of Fulham and Manchester United's Park Ji-sung led the charge.

South Korea's first goal came in the waning moments of the first half when defender Kwak Tae-hwi rose above Turkmenistan's Azat Muhadov to head home a cross from Seol.

Seol led a second-half scoring blitz when he took a pass from Park Chu-young, dribbled past a defender and sent a left-footed drive into the back of the net.

Manchester United's Park put the home side up 3-0 on a chilly night by curling in a shot from the corner of the box in the 70th minute.

Seol finished the scoring when he took a long pass from Lee Kwan-woo and, without a defender in sight, easily slid in a shot.

South Korea, under new coach Huh Jong-moo, are trying to secure a spot for the seventh straight time in the World Cup finals.

Huh was appointed as national coach for the second time in December, succeeding Dutchman Pim Verbeek who resigned last July after South Korea finished third at the Asian Cup.

"I'm happy with the performance tonight," Huh said. "Turkmenistan didn't play that badly. It's just that our team was better."

Also in the same qualifying group for the 2010 World Cup are North Korea and Jordan. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz and Keiron Henderson, Editing by Clare Fallon)

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