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SINGAPORE: Last month, South Korea booked their spot in the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa after coming through the final round of Asian zone qualifiers.
It was the seventh successive time they will be in the competition, a testament to their remarkable consistency and a strong development programme.
It was on display at the Asian Youth Games, with their under-14 football team easing smoothly through each round without skipping a beat, culminating in their 2-0 win over arch-rivals North Korea in the final on Monday night at Jalan Besar Stadium.
Kim Sun Bin opened the scoring in the 21st minute, and what little hope the North Koreans had of a comeback was snuffed out early in the second half.
First, central defender Ri Nam Jun was sent off in the 45th minute. Minutes later, the impressive Kim Young Gyu finished off a slick passing move to make it 2-0.
So dominant was the red tide of the South, their goalkeeper Lee Dong Gun did not have a single save to make in the entire football competition.
The highlight of the night came after the final whistle. Players from both teams linked hands in a red and white line and walked to either side of the pitch to salute the fans, drawing rapturous applause.
After the medals were presented, the teams huddled together posing for photos. It was the final piece of action of these Games, how fitting it ended in smiles and hugs all round.
In the earlier bronze medal playoff, Iran beat China 2-0. - TODAY
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