Park Ji Sung is to North Korea as Gary McKay is to the Republic of Ireland!!

__
The North Korean soccer team have achieved the impossible by qualifying for 2010 World Cup. By holding out for a nil-all draw in their final qualifier against Saudi Arabia, the North Koreans have qualified for their first FIFA World Cup since their impressive showing in 1966:



This is thanks in no small part to NK goalkeeper Ri Myong-guk - who kept a clean sheet for the fourth time in five games - but also to South Korea & Manchester United's Park Ji Sung, whose 81st minute leveller in the South's own qualifier against Iran ensured the North Koreans held on to 2nd place in the group and avoided a play-off against both Bahrain and New Zealand. Having qualified 2 weeks ago, South Korea really lent a helping hand to the Secret State by drawing both their remaining meaningless games to keep NK's dream of automatic qualification alive.. Shades of Gary McKay's dig out for Jack Charlton in our Euro '88 qualifying campaign spring to mind, although its unlikely that Park Ji Sung would be received as openly in Pyongyang as McKay is this side of the Irish Sea!

This article in today's Indy imagines the scenario should the USA be drawn in North Korea's group in South Africa (Stranger things have happened...)

Speaking of Ji Sung Park, here he is "having a laugh" with Patrice Evra and "Carlito" Tevez - Go on the lads!!