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.