It's the route that delivered their opening goal, when right-back Adam Thomas was let down by Marco Rojas who failed to track the overlapping runner, and it could have netted another couple of goals.
It was only a combination of decent goalkeeping from Jake Gleeson _ he played with considerably more surety than he did for the All Whites at the recent Oceania Nations Cup - and some profligate finishing which kept the game close. Korea were guilty of not killing off the game when they had the chance but, unlike Japan, found a second goal.
Thomas had a difficult night and left-back Ian Hogg was also lucky not to concede a penalty when he brought down his opposite but the referee adjudged the foul to occur outside the box.
Thomas, however, did well to provide the cross for Smeltz, who found himself alone on the penalty spot and guided the ball home between the legs of not only the goalkeeper but also a defender.
Tommy Smith is still to come into the side - he remained in the UK to nurse a hamstring strain - and will add considerable starch to the back four. But the last two matches have proved how difficult New Zealand's ambitions of getting out of their group at the Olympics will be.
They will also hope Gleeson, who limped off with what looked to be a troublesome groin injury after 58 minutes, will be fit in time because luck will get them only so far.
South Korea 2 (Chu-young Park 18, Tae-hee Nam 79) New Zealand 1 (Shane Smeltz 73). HT: 1-0.
