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Too little, too late: S. Korea rout Vietnam to end women’s Olympic soccer qualifying tourney

March 9, 2016

Defender Lim Seon-joo, middle, scored twice in the first half. (Courtesy of Korean Football Association)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — South Korea defeated Vietnam 4-0 to close out the Asian women’s Olympic football qualifying tournament in Japan on Wednesday.

Defensive back Lim Seon-joo scored twice in the first half, while Lee Geum-min and Jeon Ga-eul added one apiece in the second half amid downpours at Nagai Stadium in Osaka. South Korea ended the six-nation competition with one win, two draws and two losses.

South Korea had already missed out on the Olympic spot before Wednesday’s match. They needed to finish in the top two to qualify for their first Olympic women’s football tournament. They held favorites North Korea and Japan to 1-1 draws, before bowing out to Australia 2-0 and then China 1-0 to crash out of contention.

Australia and China clinched the two Asian berths after their fourth matches Monday.

Lim opened the scoring with a header in the seventh minute, converting a Ji So-yun cross from the right flank.

She scored her second goal 10 minutes later, off a rebound after fellow centerback Sin Dam-yeong was denied on a header.

From start to finish, South Korea overwhelmed Vietnam, which lost all five matches in Osaka while scoring once and giving up 22 goals.

Forward Lee Geum-min made it a three-goal match in the 68th, and midfielder Jeon Ga-eul rounded out the scoring after forward Jang Sel-gi set up a perfect breakaway opportunity.

The South Korean players are scheduled to return home Thursday afternoon.