Seol inspires South Korea's goal rush

The Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung scored his first goal for his country since the 2006 World Cup, and two more from Seol Ki-Hyeon helped South Korea to stroll to a comfortable 4-0 win over Turkmenistan in their opening 2010 World Cup qualifier in Seoul yesterday.

Kwak Tae Hwi struck a minute before half-time to open the scoring and break the visitors' stubborn resistance. The goal broke a dry goalscoring spell for South Korea that had stretched to nine hours.

Despite a strong side that included English-based players such as Park, Seol and Lee Young-Pyo, Korea struggled to break down a resolute Turkmen defence.

In the first 30 minutes, the hosts had just two Park Chu-Young shots to show for their efforts. Both were blocked by Berdiyev Bayramniyaz in the Turkmenistan goal.

With the half almost over, the Fulham forward Seol floated over a cross deep from the right. Standing close to goal and the near post, Kwak rose to head the ball over Bayramniyaz and into the top of the net for his first international goal.

After 57 minutes Seol doubled Korea's advantage. The former Reading star fired home from just inside the area after a neat lay-off from Park Chu-Young.

Substitute Karadanov Mamedaly came close for the visitors three minutes later as he took the ball around Korean goalkeeper Jung Sung-Ryeong but Kwak was back to clear the danger.

With 20 minutes remaining, Park, playing his first match for the national team since March 2007, collected the ball at the left edge of the area and curled a spectacular shot into the far corner. Seol added to the Turkmen's misery by side-footing home into an empty net seven minutes from the end.

Park told reporters after the game that he felt the team could do much better.

"We haven't had much time at all to train together so we didn't combine as well as we could have on the pitch," he said. "If we hadn't scored the first goal when we did, we might have had problems but after the goal we stepped up a level.

"I was not completely satisfied with my performance. But my goal is the kind of goal that gives a player confidence, even if it is scored in the Premier League."

South Korea and Turkmenistan have been drawn with North Korea and Jordan in Group C, with the two top teams to progress to the next round of qualifiers. South Korea travel to Pyongyang to face North Korea on 26 March while Turkmenistan host Jordan.

Elsewhere, the three-times Asian Cup winners Iran failed to score for a fifth successive game and were humbled at home by a Syrian team who could not afford to keep their foreign coach, Antonio Cabrini.

Iraq failed to use their "home" advantage in Dubai, letting slip their 51st-minute lead from Taher Hawartheir and allowing Charlton Athletic's Zheng Zhi to equalise for China with 15 minutes to go. Nashat Akram, who still hopes to secure a move to Manchester City, was sent off for a second yellow card.