North Korea beat Japan 1-0 in a tempestuous World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, the result largely academic with the visiting Blue Samurai already through to the final qualifying round for 2014.
Pak Nam-chol headed the winner in the 50th minute, and the final whistle sparked wild celebrations at Pyongyang's Kim Il-sung stadium despite the fact North Korea had already been eliminated. "We didn't do anything right for 90 minutes," Japan defender Yasuyuki Konno said. "They dominated. We were pathetic."
Australia advance
Bangkok: Brett Holman headed home a late winner to send Australia into the next round of Asia's World Cup qualifying on Tuesday, snatching a 1-0 victory that put Thailand on the verge of missing Brazil.
Holman popped up unmarked in the area in the 76th minute and nodded home a Brett Emerton cross from five metres to see off a Thai side that battled to stay in the competition but paid a heavy price for missed chances. Australia struggled in the heat but ended up winners of Group D with one match left to play.
{{/usCountry}}Holman popped up unmarked in the area in the 76th minute and nodded home a Brett Emerton cross from five metres to see off a Thai side that battled to stay in the competition but paid a heavy price for missed chances. Australia struggled in the heat but ended up winners of Group D with one match left to play.
{{/usCountry}}China's hopes alive
Singapore: Jose Antonio Camacho's China kept alive their flickering hopes of reaching Brazil with a thumping 4-0 win over Singapore. Yu Hai broke the deadlock in the 41st minute before Li Weifeng struck in the second half and Zheng Zheng added a late double, even after China went a man down for a straight red card.