Korea Republic’s U-23 side claimed their third win in a row against Uzbekistan this year after coming from behind to beat the Central Asians 2-1 on Wednesday in a bad-tempered affair that saw the visitors finish with only nine men.

An own goal from Korean skipper Kim Jin-kyu gave Uzbekistan the lead on the stroke of half-time in the opening Group B match in the AFC Final Round for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

But with Vagiz Galiulin and Forhad Tadjiev both seeing red for reckless tackles in the second half, the hosts hit back through Lee Sang-ho and Lee Keun-ho to keep them on course for a sixth consecutive appearance in the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament.

The two teams met twice during the second round with Korea Republic doing the double on the Uzbeks with a 2-0 win in Ansan in March and a 1-0 victory in Tashkent the following month.

But if the fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium expected a comfortable evening for their side under new coach Park Sung-hwa, they were to be sadly mistaken.

The hosts had the best of the opening exchanges without creating any clear openings and almost fell behind midway through the first half.

Vitaliy Denisov, who impressed for Uzbekistan’s senior side at the recent AFC Asian Cup, sent in a teasing cross from the left that was met in the six-yard box by the head of Anvar Rajabov. It looked to be a certain goal until goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong got down well at his right-hand post to claw the ball away Korea’s best chance of the first half came after 35 minutes.

Uzbekistan goalkeeper Aziz Ashurov missed a Kim Seung-yong cross from the right, allowing Han Dong-won to pick up the loose ball on the left edge of the six-yard box but his shot from a tight angle rolled past the opposite post.

Six minutes later, Ha Tae-goon beat Ashurov to a Lee Keun-ho cross but his header looped just over the crossbar.

Just before the break, another Denisov cross found an unmarked Rajabov inside the box but standing eight yards out, the Bukharo striker steered his header well wide of Jung’s right post.

But seconds later, Uzbekistan took the lead in bizarre fashion after Kim Jin-kyu gave away a free-kick on the left flank. Vagiz Galiulin’s cross was allowed to bounce across the face of goal by the Korean defence and in an attempt to clear the danger, Kim, standing two yards in front of the far post, succeeded only in slicing the ball into his own net.

Korea Republic rarely looked like getting back into the game early in the second half but they received a boost on the hour when Galiulin scythed down Baek Ji-hoon and was shown a straight red card by Australian referee Jon Williams.

The hosts stepped up a gear and two minutes later Lee Sang-ho headed straight into the arms of the Uzbek keeper from close range.

With 19 minutes remaining, the Koreans finally drew level when Kim Seung-yong whipped in a free-kick from the left to the near post where Lee Sang-ho headed the ball in from close range.

The home side then took the lead after 78 minutes thanks to an opportunistic strike from Lee Keun-ho. Oh Jang-eun’s header bounced inside the box and from close range, the Daegu striker hooked the ball into the top corner much to the relief of the home fans.

Uzbekistan’s night would get worse when they were reduced to nine men in the dying minutes after Farhod Tadjiev was shown his second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Choi Chul-soon.