Doha: Australia topped Group C at the Asian Cup after beating Bahrain 1-0 on Tuesday, while South Korea, who won 4-1 against India, join them in the second round.
In the Al Gharafa stadium South Korea dominated throughout the game and were two goals up after just nine minutes. Dong Won Ji scored a brace for the South Koreans, with Koo Ja Cheol and Son Heung Min scoring the others, while Sunil Chhetri converted a penalty for India.
Ji gave them the ideal start, heading in a cross from Lee Chung Yong after six minutes. Koo scored his side's second in the ninth minute to take his personal tally for the tournament to four goals and makng him joint top scorer with Abdulatif.
In the 12th minute India were awarded a penalty after Kwak Tae Hwi held Chhetri in the area. Chhetri, who plays for Sporting Kansas in the American MLS, scored from the spot himself.
The Koreans grabbed their third in the 23rd minute when Ji lobbed over goalkeeper Subrata Paul. 18-year-old substitute Son Heung Min scored a fourth for South Korea nine minutes from the end after being set up by Koo.
In the other match, Australia and Bahrain went forward in search of goals from the opening whistle, with Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell putting pressure on the Bahraini back line.
Mile Jedinak scored the only goal for the Socceroos in the first half, to see his side finish the group with seven points. South Korea also have seven points, but a marginally worse goal-difference.
Bahrain finished with three points, while India had none.
The Socceroos, who knew they would qualify for the next round with a draw, tried their luck with long-range shots, with Jedinak blasting just over the cross-bar on the half hour.
Bahrain, who were cheered on by the majority of the 3,900 fans in the Al Sadd stadium, nearly grabbed the lead shortly afterwards when Jaycee John laid off to Ismaeel Abdulatif, whose shot from an acute angle crashed against the upright.
From the break Australia could have gone ahead through Kewell, but his powerful shot was well-saved by goalkeeper Mahmood Mansoor.
It was Jedinak who finally achieved the breakthrough in the 37th minute with another long-range effort that took a wicked bounce before the line and gave Mansoor no chance.
Bahrain took the game to the Australians in the second half and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer had to make two saves early on, first denying Abdulatif with a diving save and then preventing Abdulla Fatadi's shot from going in.
Abdulatif, who scored four goals for his side against India, came close to equalizing in the 66th minute when he found himself with space on the left, but Schwarzer did well to save.
But try as they did, there was simply not getting through for the Bahrain, as Australia kept their slender lead.
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