South Korea earned a 2-0 win over fellow World Cup finalists Ivory Coast at Loftus Road on Wednesday.
Dong-gook and Tae-hwi on target
South Korea earned a 2-0 win over fellow World Cup finalists Ivory Coast at Loftus Road on Wednesday.
Former Middlesbrough striker Lee Dong-gook opened the scoring with a superb volley after just four minutes.
The South Koreans wrapped up victory against the coachless Ivorians, thanks to Kwak Tae-hwi's late header.
Didier Drogba came close on several occasions for Ivory Coast, whose attentions will now turn to securing the temporary services of Guus Hiddink.
The Elephants were being coached by Kouadio Georges after the sacking of Vahid Halihodzic last month and he handed starts to Chelsea striker Drogba, Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue and Portsmouth forward Aruna Dindane.
South Korea were captained by Manchester United winger Park Ji-sung and he was joined in the starting line-up by Bolton forward Lee Chung-yong and Celtic midfielder Ki Sung-yong.
Both sides were hoping to learn something ahead of this summer's World Cup finals, with South Korea due to come up against fellow Africans Nigeria and Ivory Coast drawn in the same group as North Korea.
The Ivorians are also due to play Brazil and Portugal and could be managed by former Chelsea and South Korea boss Hiddink who has been linked with the vacancy.
If Hiddink does make Ivory Coast his fourth different charges in the last four World Cups he will have to insert a clinical streak into their play as despite dominating possession throughout they rarely threatened the Korean goal.
Hiddink took Korea to the last four in 2002 and the present side showed enough to suggest they could cause an upset or two themselves this summer.
Korea were backed by some fanatical support who made a racket throughout and they went ahead in the fourth minute.
Opener
A free-kick from Cha Du-ri on the right wing was not headed clear by Cheik Tiote and the ball dropped invitingly for Lee at the far post.
The Joenbuk Hyundai forward still had work to do but demonstrated fabulous technique as he allowed the ball to drop before volleying it powerfully into the top corner past a helpless Boubacar Barry.
The Elephants were quick to respond however and bossed the next 20 minutes.
Drogba hit a free-kick tamely into the wall before Dindane nearly wriggled free
inside the area only to be denied by a fine covering tackle.
Bakari Kone was showing nice touches in the middle and a goal looked certain to come for the Africans but it was Korea who came close to a second in the 26th minute.
Park burst clear down the left of the area and picked out Dong-gook in the middle but his shot was smothered by an excellent block from Souleman Bamba.
Barry had to be at full stretch to claw out a cross as the Koreans counter-attacked well at the start of the second half before Park came within inches of a second on the hour mark.
Substitute Ahn Jung Hwan and Ki Sung-yong combined well as they stretched the Ivorian defence to play in Park on the left and the United man saw his curler drift a yard wide of the far post with Barry beaten.
Both sides made changes as the friendly petered out before Kwak headed in Kim Jae-sung's free-kick in stoppage time.
