By Michael Church
(Reuters) – Kim Kyong Yong hit the crossbar 17 minutes from time to miss out on giving North Korea a first-leg lead in their Olympic Games women’s football playoff against Japan in Jeddah on Saturday, as the teams shared a 0-0 draw.
Kim directed Ri Myong Gum’s cross from the right against the woodwork in a game played in the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium after the Japan Football Association requested a change of venue due to problems travelling to North Korea.
Scoring opportunities were at a premium, with Myong Yu Jong threatening for the North Koreans with a dipping strike from 20 yards that goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita tipped over the bar.
At the other end, Pak Ju Mi reacted well to redirect Mina Tanaka’s deflected strike to safety to ensure the first half ended goalless.
The sides will meet again in Japan’s National Stadium in Tokyo on Wednesday, with the winner taking one of Asia’s two berths in the 12-team finals in Paris in the summer.
Australia put themselves in pole position to claim Asia’s other spot as late goals from Michelle Heyman, Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord gave Tony Gustavsson’s side a 3-0 win in Tashkent over Uzbekistan ahead of Wednesday’s return leg in Melbourne.
Substitute Heyman broke Uzbekistan’s resistance in the 73rd minute, heading in after the home defence failed to clear a corner from under their own crossbar.
“I am so happy, it’s so nice to be back playing with the girls and back playing for my country and to come on and score a goal,” said Heyman, who last netted for Australia in 2016.
“It’s a dream come true. It’s what I wanted and I’m so happy to get it done.”
Fowler doubled the advantage with seven minutes remaining when she strode forward to slot a perfectly placed shot from 25 yards into the bottom corner of Maftuna Jonimqulova’s goal.
Foord then added a decisive third three minutes later when, unmarked, she steered a downward header past Jonimqulova.
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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