Skipper Park Ji-Sung scored an early goal as South Korea beat local rivals Japan 2-0 on Monday in a friendly in Saitama to leave the hosts' World Cup preparations in tatters.

Park needed only six minutes to open the scoring when the Manchester United midfielder fired home from the edge of the area.

Substitute forward Park Chu-Young added a penalty in second-half stoppage time to seal the win, with both teams hoping to avoid a repeat of four years ago, when they each crashed out in the group stages of the World Cup.

The pressure will now be firmly on Japan coach Takeshi Okada after this latest poor showing from his charges, who also lost to South Korea at home earlier in the year in the East Asian Championships.

"My players did their best but I feel sorry for the fans that we lost to South Korea twice this year," said a dejected Okada, whose side goes up against Cameroon, the Netherlands and Denmark in Group E in South Africa.

"We needed the result but we couldn't get it and I feel responsible for that," said Okada.

"We lost an early goal but I thought we would have some chances. However, we lost a penalty to give an unnecessary goal in the end."

In a game of few chances, Japan's best opportunity in the first-half came in the 20th minute when Vissel Kobe forward Yoshito Okubo shot wide, while CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda's shot was saved by keeper Jung Sung-Ryong.

Korean coach Huh Jung-Moo changed his forward line at the interval to Park Chu-Young and Kim Nam-Il, but the visitors rarely looked like adding to their lead as the game threatened to peter out.

As they chased an equaliser, Okada sent on Catania striker Takayuki Morimoto to replace the struggling Shunsuke Nakamura.

And Morimoto had a chance to score, but his sizzling shot in the 77th minute was saved.

South Korea take on Greece, Argentina and Nigeria in Group B at next month's showpiece.

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