Ivory Coast suffer South Korea defeat

Ivory Coast's Drogba (right) contests with South Korean Lee Young-Pyo

Ivory Coast's preparation towards the World Cup suffered a jolt after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of South Korea on Wednesday.

Lee Dong-gook's fine volley set the Asians on their way to victory over the Elephants in the friendly in London.

South Korea were lively throughout and deserved the win which was sealed by Kwak Tae-hwi's late header.

Captain Didier Drogba came close on several occasions for Ivory Coast but he fluffed the chances.

The managerless West Africans will now turn to securing the temporary services of Guus Hiddink to lead the side to the World Cup in June.

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, who are ranked 31 places below the Africans in the latest Fifa, rankings 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 June'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.

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 Dong-gook 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 Lee 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.

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