SOUTH Korea has qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, after they finished fifth at a continental football tournament.

South Korea, 16th in the FIFA rankings, routed 72nd-ranked Philippines 5-0 in the fifth-place match at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Asian Cup at the Amman International Stadium in Jordan.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which features eight teams, doubles as the final Asian qualifier for the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.

The top five nations qualify for the showpiece event in women’s football.

The top two teams from the two groups that reached the semi-finals were awarded the World Cup spots.

The third-place teams from each group had to square off in the fifth-place match to earn the last ticket to the World Cup.

With the latest result, South Korea will make their third Women’s World Cup appearance after playing in 2003 and 2015.

South Korea, led by head coach Yoon Duk-yeo, will join Australia, Japan, China and Thailand to represent Asia at the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

South Korea dropped to the fifth place-match at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after finishing third in Group B.

South Korea, Australia and Japan were tied at five points with one win and two draws.

But the Taeguk Ladies had inferior goals scored record than the two opponents and had to settle for third-place in the group.

Against the Philippines, South Korea scored their first goal in the 34th minute.

Jang Sel-gi’s curled right-footed strike left Filipino goalkeeper Kearra Bastes-Jones helpless and opened the scoring.

Lee Min-a then doubled the lead for South Korea in the first half stoppage time.

The attacking midfielder controlled Ji So-yun’s pass on her chest and released a low shot to find the net.

South Korea made it 3-0 in the 56th minute when Lim Seon-joo slotted home a Jeon Ga-eul free kick in the box.

In the 66^th minute, Jeon helped South Korean captain Cho So-hyun to score with a header after delivering a fine cross.

South Korea was awarded a penalty kick in the 84th minute when Alexa Diaz brought down Choe Yu-ri in the box.

Cho then scored her second goal of the match by converting the spot kick. (Yonhap/NAN)

– Apr. 17, 2018 @ 18:05 GMT

AE