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| Japan defeated DPR Korea 2-0 in Bangkok on Wednesday to become the first team to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. |
BANGKOK, June 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Japan defeated DPR
Korea 2-0 here on Wednesday to become the first team to qualify for the 2006
World Cup alongside host Germany.
After a scoreless first half,
striker Atsushi Yanagisawa found the net first in the 63rd minute and
substitute Masashi Oguro added a second a minute from time.
DPR Korean striker Kim Yong-su was sent off in
stoppage time.
The Asian zone group B match was shifted from
Pyongyang to Bangkok, a punishment imposed by FIFA for crowd violence following
DPR Korea's 2-0 defeat by Iran in Pyongyang in March.
This was the third straight time for Japan to qualify
for the World Cup finals, first in 1998 and then the 2002 tournament as co-hosts
with South Korea.
DPR Korea's chance of reaching
the World Cup for the first time since 1966 ended with its fifth straight
defeat. Enditem | 
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