South Korea played China to a scoreless draw at the East Asian Cup football tournament here on Wednesday.

At Hwaseong Stadium in Gyeonggi Province, south of Seoul, South Korea played its second straight scoreless draw at the regional competition, as the Chinese crowded their own zone and often outnumbered South Korean attackers inside the box.

South Korea, which drew Australia 0-0 last Saturday, will close out the tournament against Japan on Sunday in Seoul. China's final match will be against Australia, also on Sunday in the capital.

In the seesawing first half, South Korea first tested Zeng Cheng in the Chinese net in the 13th minute. Yun Il-lok teed it up for Han Kook-young, whose rocket-of-a-shot was punched out by the diving keeper.

In the 27th, Yun Il-lok took a feed from Seo Dong-hyeon just inside the box but Zeng turned away the hard shot.

China began applying pressure on South Korea midway through the first half but its superiority in ball possession didn't lead to any shot on net.

South Korea was back in the attacking mode near the end of the opening half. In the 44th, Cho Young-cheol's left-foot strike from near the top of the arc went just wide of the near post.

In the 63rd, forward Seo Dong-hyeon had a one-on-one chance deep in the box but his weak shot went directly at Zeng.

Then 10 minutes later, Yeom Ki-hun's free kick from the arc forced Zeng to make a diving save to his left. In the 81st, substitute Go Moo-yul tried to head in a Lee Yong cross but the ball went just over the crossbar.

South Korean head coach Hong Myung-bo overhauled his starting lineup from the team's first game last Saturday, with goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong and midfielder Yun Il-lok as the only carryovers from the previous contest. (Yonhap News)