South Korea avenged a 1-0 home defeat to Japan in April by the same scoreline at a rain-swept National Stadium on Saturday.
Ironically it was Japan-based, second-half substitute Ahn Jung Hwan who banged in the deserved winner in the 86th minute after a mistake by Yutaka Akita.
The deadlock was broken when Akita misplaced a pass upfield straight to South Korea which took advantage of the space vacated by him, sending the ball to midfielder Lee Eul Yong down the left wing. Lee sent in a low cross that evaded the inrushing Japanese defense, allowing Ahn to stab the ball home from close range.