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Sports

North Korea holds Greece to 2-2 draw in friendly

Associated Press
Published | Updated

ALTACH, Austria (AP) — Jong Tae-se scored a goal in each half Tuesday as North Korea twice rallied to hold Greece to a 2-2 draw in a World Cup warmup game.

Costas Katsouranis gave Greece the lead in the second minute, tapping the ball home after receiving a headed pass from Sotiris Kyrgiakos.

The Koreans tied the game when Jong who eluded two players and drilled a shot past goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis in the 23rd minute.

Greek substitute Angelos Charisteas made it 2-1 in the 49th minute. But Jong replied three minutes later, sprinting down the right past defender Nikos Spiropoulos before beating substitute keeper Alexandros Tzorvas.

Tzorvas cleared a powerful shot from in the 72nd from Cha Jong-hyok.

The Koreans controlled much of the game and threatened with fast breaks and powerful shots from distance.

Both teams are going to the World Cup in South Africa.

Greece faces South Korea in its opening match. Nigeria and Argentina are also in Group B.

"We picked this opponent because they have a similar playing style to the South Koreans," Greece coach Otto Rehhagel said. "We must take care because they were well prepared and disciplined."

Rehhagel said he would keep World Cup places open "up to the last minute" ahead of the June 1 deadline to trim his squad from 30 to the final 23-man list.

North Korea, back in the World Cup for the first time since 1966, faces five-time champion Brazil in its opening game. Ivory Coast and Portugal are also in Group G.

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Lineups:

Greece: Michalis Sifakis (Alexandros Tzorvas, 46), Sotiris Kyrgiakos (Avraam Papadopoulos, 46), Loukas Vyntra (Giourkas Seitaridis, 46), Vangelis Moras, Nikos Spiropoulos, Giorgos Karagounis (Christos Patsatzoglou, 62), Alexandros Tziolis, Costas Katsouranis, Fanis Gekas (Pantelis Kapetanos, 46), Dimitris Salpigidis, Georgios Samaras (Angelos Charisteas, 46).

North Korea: Ri Myong-guk (Kim Kyong-il, 46), Cha Jong-hyok, Pak Nam-chol, Ri Kwang-chon, Ji Yun-nam, Hong Yong-jo, Mun In-guk (Kim Kum-il, 83), Pak Chol-jin, Nam Song-chol (Ri Jun-il, 46), An Yong-hak, Jong Tae-se.