Soccer-Hwang scores two as South Koreans cruise past Turkmenistan

By Michael Church

HONG KONG (Reuters) - South Korea handed Turkmenistan a 5-0 defeat in Goyang on Saturday to stay top of Group H in the second round of Asian qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

Hwang Ui-jo scored twice while Nam Tae-hee, Kim Young-gwon and Kwon Chang-hoon were also on target for Paulo Bento's side, who are level on 10 points with Lebanon at the top of the standings after four qualifiers.

Hwang's 10th minute header opened the scoring for the Koreans but the 10-time World Cup qualifiers had to wait until first half injury time before Nam added the second.

Kim then slotted home the third from close range 12 minutes after the interval while Kwon scored the fourth after Rasul Charyyev spilled Son Heung-min's long-range free kick.

Hwang then claimed his second of the game 17 minutes from time when he flicked Kwon's low cross beyond Charyyev after Son had outwitted the Turkmenistan midfield.

Earlier in the day, the Lebanese recorded a 3-2 win over Sri Lanka, who took a surprise 10th minute lead through Waseem Razeek.

German-born FC Tokyo defender Joan Oumari levelled the scores just a minute later with a header and, by the 17th minute, Lebanon were in front when Mohammad Kdouh nodded home.

Oumari's scissor kick a minute from the end of the half was to prove crucial as Sri Lanka struck again through Razeek's 61st minute penalty, but it was not enough to deny Jamal Taha's side.

The South Koreans lead the group on goal difference from the Lebanese after North Korea's withdrawal due to the ongoing pandemic saw their results from earlier in the campaign expunged.

Only the winners of each of the eight groups in Asia's preliminaries are guaranteed to advance to the third round, where they will be joined by the four runners-up with the best records.

Japan are the only nation to have already secured their berth in the next phase, with the other 11 spots due to be filled at the completion of the second round on June 15.

(Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Frances Kerry)