S. Koreans stunned by 0-1 loss to Vietnam

S. Koreans stunned by 0-1 loss to Vietnam

South Korea's 1-0 defeat to Vietnam in its Asia Cup soccer qualifier stunned South Koreans, who associate the national side with its giant-killing World Cup exploits of last year.

South Korea is still considered the top team in Asia, but perhaps not for long after Sunday's set-back, according to commentators here.

"Our status as Asia's best is on shaky ground," said Yonhap, South Korea's national news agency, describing the defeat as a "humiliation."

An official at the Korean Football Association (KFA) said the result was a disappointment but suggested that too much should not be read into a one-off result that went against a young, under-strength South Korean team.

"Perhaps it was complacency, or perhaps the coaching staff underestimated the Vietnamese side," said the official, who declined to be named.

"It is a disappointment for the people, and it's very disappointing for us as well."

South Korea has been struggling to recapture the form that saw it reach the semifinals of the World Cup in June last year under Dutch coach Guus Hiddink.

Key players have moved abroad on lucrative contracts and others have retired from international soccer.

Hiddink's replacement, Portugal's Humberto Coelho, has produced a mixed bag of performances since he took in March.

The lowest point, however, was Sunday night's defeat in Oman to a Vietnamese side who was beaten 5-0 by South Korea in September in the first round of the Group-E qualifiers.

South Korea dominated possession, creating more than 10 scoring chances to four by Vietnam.

The defeat is unlikely to prevent South Korea from qualifying for next year's Asian Cup finals in China from Group-E which includes Oman and Nepal as well as South Korea and Vietnam.

In the first round of group matches played in Incheon, South Korea, in September the South Koreans beat Vietnam 5-0, Oman 1-0 and Nepal 16-0. It plays Oman on Tuesday and Nepal on Friday this week in Oman.