N.Korea move within sight of World Cup finals

North Korea moved within sight of the World Cup finals Saturday with a 2-0 win over United Arab Emirates in Pyongyang, all but snuffing out any hope the Gulf side had of playing in South Africa.

The Koreans now top Group B in Asian qualifying with 10 points from five games, two points ahead of arch-rivals South Korea, whom they play in Seoul on Wednesday in a grudge match.

In other Group B matches, Iran and Saudi Arabia face each other in a crunch showdown in Tehran later Saturday with the Iranians on six points and the Saudis on four.

Only the top two teams from each group automatically qualify for 2010.

North Korea, the 1966 World Cup quarter-finalists, were far the better team against UAE on the artificial turf of the Kim Il-Sung Stadium.

Pak Choi-Jin scored the opener on 51 minutes with Mun In-Guk putting the game beyond UAE’s reach with a strike in injury time.

It leaves coach Dominique Bathaney’s men languishing on one point from five games with three games to go, including tough trips to Riyadh and Tehran.