SEOUL, Oct 15 (Reuters) - South Korea routed the United Arab Emirates 4-1 in a World Cup Group Two qualifier on Wednesday with midfielder Park Ji-sung scoring once and Lee Keun-ho netting a double for the home side.

South Korea were rather fortunate to open the scoring in the

19th minute when Lee's shot was deflected off a defender past

goalkeeper Majed Naser after a pass from Lee Chung-yong.

Park doubled their lead six minutes later when he stole the

ball from a defender and blasted a shot into the top corner.

The UAE pulled a goal back through second-half substitute

Ismail Al Hammadi who took advantage of a defensive lapse to

slide the ball home in the 71st.

Lee struck his second goal to make it 3-1 to the hosts nine

minutes later before Kwak Tae-hee completed the rout.

"We gained some confidence from this match, which should

help us in the next one," Park told reporters.

South Korea, looking for their seventh straight trip to the

World Cup finals, played out a 1-1 draw with North Korea in

their only other game in the group.

South Korea travel to Saudi Arabia for their next qualifier

on Nov. 19 and coach Huh Jung-moo told reporters: "It's a game

we have to win. We are going to analyse this game (against UAE)

so that we can do our best in the remaining games."

The UAE are bottom of the standings having lost all three of

their matches.

"It is very, very difficult for us now," said their French

coach Dominique Bathenay. "We lacked maturity and technique.

They were very courageous but that was not enough."

The top two teams in the two Asian fourth round qualifying

groups advance to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.