(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) South Korea dealt hosts Oman a knockout blow in the AFC U22 Championship on Wednesday night, winning their concluding Group A clash 2-0 at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex (SQSC).
Oman's defeat - via two second-half goals from the South Koreans - ended the hopes of Philippe Burle's boys of making it to the quarterfinals as they finished with just three points from three matches.
After beginning its campaign with a 4-0 triumph over Myanmar, Oman lost 0-1 to Jordan and was then beaten by South Korea to finish third in the group.
The resounding win helped South Korea finish second in the group - behind Jordan - as they both advanced to the last eight.
A rampant Jordan hammered Myanmar 6-1 at the ROP Stadium in Wednesday's other late game.
Both Jordan and South Korea finished with seven points each, but the former topped the group on better goal-difference.
At the SQSC, the home team's supporters turned up in decent numbers, with the official count at 6,000, hoping to see their team progress to the knockout stage. But Burle's boys lacked creativity in the field as well as the intent to raise their game in a crunch game.
Both the teams failed to break the deadlock in the first half, although South Korea clearly dominated the proceedings, particularly with ball possession.
It was no surprise that the South Koreans came back after the break more incisive, getting a couple of goals in the last half an hour's play.
Kim Kyung Jung broke the stalemate in the 62nd minute when he produced a powerful diving header after intercepting a cross from Kim Younguk.
Then in the 80th minute, South Korean midfielder Baek Sungdong put the result beyond any doubt as he sent a neat cross that striker Yun Illok deftly slotted home to make it 2-0.
Burle's plan to go into the match with four strikers - Sami al Hasani, Yaseen al Sheyadi, Hamood al Saadi and Basil al Rawahi - failed to yield the result that Oman desperately needed. Hasani, in particular, had a forgettable outing, bungling a couple of clear chances.
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