BANGKOK, Feb 12: Hosts Thailand beat Qatar 1-0 in a brawling, bad-tempered game Tuesday to qualify for the final of the four-team King’s Cup.

Pitipong Kuldilog scored the only goal in the 19th minute, receiving a square ball from Therdsak Chaiman and rifling his shot past goalkeeper Emad Aziz Alshammari.

But the match degenerated in a foul-strewn second half as Qatar tried to muscle their way back into the game and Thailand responded in kind.

Thailand’s Anuruck Srikerd and Qatar’s Naif Mubark Alkhater exchanged punches in the 56th minute after a late challenge by Srikerd but both received only yellow cards.

Earlier, Chol Ri-kum carried North Korea to their 4-2 victory over Singapore after the Koreans had conceded an embarrassing first-minute goal by Mohd Fadzuhasny Bin Juraimi, who was given far too much space by a dozing defence.

Choe Ung-chon levelled for North Korea in the 19th minute.

The game remained deadlocked until the 68th minute when Chol made it 2-1. Singapore hit back in the 80th minute when Fadzuhasny scored his second goal.

But within two minutes the Koreans were back in front when Chol slammed his second goal.

Kim Yong-jun settled the outcome two minutes from the end.—Reuters