BANGKOK. Dec 11: United Arab Emirates edged Japan 1-0 Friday for their first victory in tiie second ro-

und of Asian Games soccer, a result that sent South Korea into the quarterfinals, reports AP.

Japan and the UAE ended the second round with a victory and two defeats each. Both still had a slight chance of gaining the quarterfinals if Kuwait lost to South Korea later Friday.

South Korea have two victories already, making them certain of being one of Group 2's two teams in the quarterfinals. Because of their superior goal differential. Kuwait also were likely to advance even without winning.

In Group 1. North Korea kept alive a slight chance of making the quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory over winless India. That gave them one victory, one draw and one loss in the round. Uzbekistan, already in the quarterfinals, played Turkmenistan later Friday.

After defeats of Kuwait and South Korea, the Emirates found their form again against Japan.

Though the first half ended scoreless, the Gulf team, paced by Hassan Saeed Rashid and Ali Saeed Rashid, showed flair and pierced the Japanese defense.

Japan looked tired and slug-gish after their upset of Kuwait Thursday, which kept alive Japanese dreams of a quarter-

final for two more days.

Japan brought a young team to the Asian Games but was hoping for a good showing as preparation for the 2000 Olympics and the 2002 World Cup. for which they are co-host with South Korea.

Both sides fought for their goal but Hassan got there first, in the 59th minute, scoring UAE-'s fourth goal in four matches.

A long free kick in the goal area dived into a jumble of heads and feet before substitute Kazi Ali Abdulla gained control and shipped a short cross to Hassan, who pushed the ball in from j>oint-blank range.

Falling behind lifted Japan's energy but they were unable to mount a consistent attack.

Shinsuki Nakamura. Kazuyuki Toda. Toshiya Ishii and Kenji Fukuda pressed the attack dangerously close but either shot wild or crashed into a swarm of red shirts.

The first half was notable for six minutes of injury time, mostly taken up by the bandaging of Japan goalkeeper Yuta Minami’s head after he was chopped down by a flying elbow from Mohammad Ibrahim Al-boloshi.

The rest came from a bizarre kick from behind by Japanese captain Tsuneyau Miyamoto that connected with Alboloshi's face and brought him down. Miyamoto drew his second yellow card of the games.

Carlos de Queiroz of Portugal. who took over the UAE

team three months ago, complained that his team was fatigued after playing four matches in nine days.

'The players become tired and their reaction time is not the same." de Queiroz said.

Like his counterpart for Japan. Frenchman Philippe Troussier. de Queiroz brought a young team in preparation for the Olympics.

The Intense pace of the Asian Games tournament, de Queiroz said, was too much for young players to cope with.

• "From a physiological point of view, they can't recover." de Queiroz said.

Troussier agreed.

"In this weather and in this schedule, the players cannot concentrate their efforts. With one more day. the players can change their efforts 100 per cent, Troussier said.