Korea Republic 2-1 Bahrain

AFC – DOHA, A goal in each half by Koo Ja-cheol steered Korea Republic to a dramatic 2-1 win over Bahrain in a Group C match of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011™ at Al Gharafa Stadium on Monday.

Koo gave the Taeguk Warriors the lead after 40 minutes and then added a second six minutes into the second half before Bahrain ensured a tense finish with Faouzi Aaish’s 83rd minute penalty.

Korea Republic attacked from the outset of the game and nearly opened the scoring after just six minutes when Lee Chung-yong sent a neat pass to Park Ji-sung, but the Manchester United midfielder’s shot was straight at goalkeeper Mahmood Mansoor.

The East Asians continued to look the most likely to score and created their second chance of the game in the 24th minute when Koo ran into the area before hitting a powerful shot that was saved by Mansoor, who denied the same player just five minutes later.

Next to threaten was Lee Chung-yong shortly after the half hour when Ji Dong-won delivered a cross from the left for the Bolton winger, who could only direct his header wide of the goal.

A good run from Lee in the 35th minute led to another chance as he fed a pass for Park but his shot whistled just over the bar.

But there was only so long Bahrain could keep the Koreans at bay with Koo making the breakthrough five minutes before the break. The Jeju United midfielder had enough space and time to shoot from just outside the area and his effort took enough of a deflection off Abdulla Marzooqi to leave Mansoor with no chance.

It could have been 2-0 just before the break with Koo again the dangerman as the youngster tried his luck from distance but the ball flew over the bar.

However, the second goal duly arrived after 51 minutes when Cha Du-ri’s shot was saved by Mansoor but the ever-dangerous Koo was in the right place to put the ball into the empty net.

With nothing to lose, Bahrain went on the attack in as the second half wore on and went close after 78 minutes when Jaycee John sent a close-ranger header over the crossbar.

But they grabbed a consolation with seven minutes remaining when second-half substitute Abdulla Al Dakeel was fouled inside the area by Kwak Tae-hwi. The Korean defender was subsequently sent off and Aaish scored from the resulting penalty.