Lee Jung-soo and Park Ji-sung scored as the national soccer team won Saturday its third straight World Cup opener, 2-0, over Greece in the first Group B game for the two squads.

At Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, Lee gave his team the early lead in the seventh minute. The Kashima Antlers defender took a cross from Ki Sung-yueng and got past a Greek defender to tap the ball into the net.

Lee's goal was the fastest by his country in a World Cup.

Team captain Park doubled the lead in the second half. The Manchester United midfielder drove past two defenders and shot it home in the 52nd minute.

Park tied compatriot Ahn Jung-hwan and Sami Al-Jaber of Saudi Arabia as Asia's leading career scorer in the World Cup with three, and was named man of the match by FIFA's official homepage. Park also scored in his third straight World Cup tournament.

Korea coach Huh Jung-moo also started young Jung Sung-ryong as goalkeeper instead of veteran Lee Woon-jae, and Jung played a solid game though he faced little pressure from the lethargic Greeks.

Huh also became the first South Korean coach to lead his national team to a World Cup win.

The margin could have been larger as Greece showed little of the form that it used to win the 2004 European Championships. Lee Chung-yong got deep into the penalty box in the 15th minute and looked as if he was fouled, but no call was made.

Lead striker Park Chu-young nearly scored in the 27th minute off a beautiful pass from captain Park. The AS Monaco star had just one defender on him and looked to score but Greek goalie Konstantinos Chalkias got a foot on the ball for the save.

The rain in South Korea did not stop fans from pouring out into the streets to cheer on the Taegeuk Warriors. The National Police Agency estimated one-point-eight million people went outside to see the game at public venues, including 700-thousand in Seoul alone.

And their beloved team did not disappoint the fans in its bid to reach the World Cup's knockout stage for the second time.