Soccer-South Korea stroll to win over Myanmar

BANGKOK, June 16 (Reuters) - Son Heung-min's second-half pile-driver helped South Korea to a comfortable 2-0 win over Myanmar in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in Bangkok on Tuesday. The Koreans, bidding to appear at a ninth consecutive World Cup finals, spent the entire match camped in their opponents' half and were never threatened by Myanmar, who are banned from hosting matches due to crowd trouble at a 2011 qualifier. Midfielder Yeom Ki-hoon cracked the base of the post and Son had a volley blocked on the line in the first 10 minutes before Lee Jae-sung opened the scoring in the 35th minute. Myanmar goalkeeper Van Lal Hruaia flapped at Son's corner and Lee had the simplest of tasks to nod the ball home from close range. Poor decision-making and a lack of composure in the final third prevented Korea from adding to their lead until midway through the second half but Son sealed the win with a great strike in the 67th minute. The Bayer Leverkusen forward lashed home a free kick from 25 yards, the movement and sheer pace of the ball leaving Hruaia grasping at thin air. The Koreans had the ball in the net again in the 73rd minute but Lee Jeong-hyeop's effort was ruled offside, before Hruaia redeemed himself somewhat with an instinctive save from substitute Lee Yong-jae. South Korea's next Group G game is at home to Laos on Sept. 3 while Myanmar travel to Kuwait. (Writing by Peter Rutherford in Seoul; Editing by Ed Osmond)