SPORTS
Already knocked out of the competition, India gave glimpses of their fighting abilities but that was not enough to avoid their third defeat in as many games.
India suffered a 1-4 thrashing at the hands of title contenders South Korea to end their Asian Cup campaign on a humiliating note here today.
Already knocked out of the competition, India gave glimpses of their fighting abilities but that was not enough to avoid their third defeat in as many games.
Ji Dong Won scored a brace in the sixth and 23rd minutes while Koo Ja Cheol and Son Heung Min found the target for South Korea in the ninth and 81st minutes respectively.
Striker Sunil Chhetri reduced the margin in the 12th minute in the last Group C match, which was played under cold conditions and incessant rain.
South Korea finished second in Group C behind Australia who finish on top after their 1-0 victory over Bahrain in another match played simultaneously at Al Sadd Stadium.
Australia and South Korea ended their group assignments on same seven points but the former topped the group on better goal difference.
India, the lowest ranked side in the tournament, were left to defend their citadel for most part with hardly any look at the South Korea goal.
Had not goalkeeper Subrata Paul made some fine saves, India would have lost by a bigger margin.
Captain Bhaichung Bhutia finally made his Asian Cup appearance as he replaced Abbhishek Yadav in the 78th minute to the loud cheer of more than 11,000 spectators at the Al Gharafa Stadium but they failed to recover from the first half 1-3 deficit.
The Indians were cheered by a vocal crowd mainly made up of Indian expatriates here but it did not make any difference on the field as the gap in speed, class and technique between the two sides was too wide.
The nimble footed South Koreans, one of the title contenders, played their usual slick one-touch pass which exposed the gaping holes at the Indian defence.
The trio of captain Park Ji Sung, Koo Ja Cheol and striker Ji Dong Won gave a torrid time to Indian defenders who were outpaced and outmanoeuvred with ease by the South Koreans.
Left back Deepak Mondal was caught napping several times against South Korean combine of Cha Du Ri, who plays for Scottish top side Celtic and Koo Ja Cheol.
The Indian midfield was also almost non-existent with captain Climax Lawrence and N P Pradeep struggling throughout the match.
Just as midfielder Renedy Singh pulled his left hamstring, India conceded their first goal.
Houghton replaced Renedy by left back Deepak Mandal and Syed Rahim Nabi was sent at left wing. But Indian goalkeeper Paul failed to clear a Park Ji Sung cross from the right and and an unmarked Ji Dong Won headed the ball home in the sixth minute.
Before Park Ji Sung got to the ball, South Korean midfielder Koo Ja Cheol had handled the ball inside the box but the referee did not award a free kick in favour of India.
South Korea doubled the lead in the ninth minute through Koo Ja Cheol. Centre back Gouramangi Singh could not head out a cross from the right to safety and Ji Dong Won headed down for Cheol who gently sidestepped Paul before slotting the ball home into the empty net.
Egged on by a vocal crowd, India fought back and they took three minutes to reduce the margin with striker Chhetri scoring from a penalty kick after he was fouled by Kwak Tae Hwi in an aerial duel inside the box.
Indian goal was under constant pressure with Park Ji Sung, Ji Dong and Cheol creating havoc. Surkumar Singh made a valiant clearance from the goal-line in the 22nd minute.
In the 23rd minute, Cheol sent Ji Dong in the clear from a wall pass and the later had to just tap the ball past an on-rushing goalie Paul.
In the added time of the first half, Paul made a valiant save when he blocked a Kwak Tae Hwi powerful header off a cross from from Ki Sung Yueng.
Just like in the earlier two matches, India gave a better show in the second session as they conceded only one goal after the breather though South Korea missed several chances.
Bob Houghton brought in Mehrajuddin Wadoo in place of Pradeep but the Indian midfield was left to assist the back line to defend the Indian citadel.
In the 61st minute, Paul was again in the thick of action as he cleared a Heung Min strike from inside the box for a corner.
Two minutes later, Min's left footer was cleared by Surkumar from the goal-line. Paul was the saviour again in the 66th minute as he dived to his left to palm away a free-kick from Lee Yong Rae from outside the box.
In the 73rd minute, Ji Dong missed a sitter as he shot over after Indian goalie found himself yards outside the goal after being beaten in the air.
Playing in his first international match in five months after suffering a calf injury, Bhutia could only have a few touches on the ball and South Korea scored three minutes after his entry.
Heung Min, who missed some easy chances, finally made amends as he fired a cross from the right past goalie Paul. Three minutes from time, India though almost scored their second goal but Chhetri header from a Steven Dias corner was saved from the goal-line by South Korean keeper Jung Sung Ryong.
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