SUWON, South Korea – So, it's the luck of the Spanish that counts at the
World Cup.
In a part of soccer filled with guesswork and chance, Spain beat Ireland
3-2 in a penalty-kick shootout Sunday after a 1-1 tie, reaching the
quarterfinals of the tournament.
Gaizka Mendieta scored the game-winning goal, shooting the ball low down
the middle and past goalie Shay Given, who had guessed wrong by diving
right.
Goalie Iker Casillas was the real hero for Spain, saving two penalty
kicks in the shootout after saving one in regulation time.
AP
Spain's Gaizka Mendieta (right) and his teammates celebrate his
winning goal Sunday against Ireland.
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"It's all a matter of luck," he said. "Sometimes you block some,
sometimes you don't."
Spain played the 30 minutes of sudden-death overtime with only 10 men
after substitute David Albelda was injured. Spain could not replace him
because it had already used its three substitutes.
The shootout featured five missed penalty kicks. Spain's Juanfran Garcia
and Juan Carlos Valeron shot wide, while Ireland's Matt Holland shot
high off the crossbar. Casillas' saves came on shots by David Connolly
and Kevin Kilbane.
During the break before overtime and again before the penalty kicks, the
Irish team gathered in the center circle, giving each other hugs of
encouragement. During the penalties, the Irish players and staff stood
together on the sideline, arms around each other.
"There's a very strong bond between all of us," Ireland coach Mick
McCarthy said. "That's part of our makeup. That's part of our squad.
"I'm very proud. We didn't deserve to lose. It's sickening. We've
enjoyed being at this World Cup, but I'm not enjoying going out of the
World Cup. ... I'm going to drown me sorrows."
Just minutes from losing the game 1-0 in regulation, Ireland was awarded
a penalty kick when defender Fernando Hierro grabbed Niall Quinn's shirt
as he tried to get position in the penalty box on a free kick.
Robbie Keane, Ireland's top scoring threat, beat Casillas to the right
for the tying goal. It would have been the game-winner if not for
Casillas.
Ireland's first penalty shot came in the 63rd minute after Garcia
tripped Damien Duff. But Casillas stopped Ian Harte's left-footed shot
to his right and Kilbane kicked the rebound wide of an open net.
"We are very satisfied. We really suffered for 90 minutes," Garcia said.
"Despite being left with only 10 players for the 30-minute extra period,
we did very well."
Spain faces Italy or South Korea in the quarterfinals. Italy plays South
Korea on Tuesday in Daejeon, South Korea.
"I'm sure we've done a lot of damage to their hopes," McCarthy said,
referring to the Spanish. "They must be absolutely shattered after that."
Ireland trailed for most of the game after Fernando Morientes scored in
the 8th minute on a header. Carles Puyol threw the ball in, got it back
on a quick pass, and then sent a perfect cross from the right wing that
Morientes headed in off a sharp angle.
It was Spain's 10th goal of the World Cup and the third for the Real
Madrid striker – his 17th in 23 appearances for Spain.
Early in the second half, Morientes had a chance to give Spain a 2-0
lead, but his hard shot from about 15 yards away hit Given in the chest.
Moments after Morientes came close, Keane had a close-range shot that
Fernando Hierro cleared off the line.
As the second half wore on, Spanish coach Jose Antonio Camacho sent in
Mendieta and Albelda to hold the lead.
Spain looked as if it had taken a 2-0 lead in the 25th minute when Luis
Enrique chipped in a short ball behind Given, but the play was correctly
called offside. Spain was called offside 13 times to Ireland's one.
Keane had Ireland's best two chances in the opening half.
In the 3rd minute, his curling shot from 15 yards was just wide. In the
43rd, he took a long, looping pass, let it bounce once and then spun as
he collided with Casillas and fired high from 6 yards.
The Spaniards also made the quarterfinals in 1994, '86 and '34 and
reached the semifinals in 1950, their best finish. Ireland reached the
World Cup quarterfinals only once, losing to Italy 1-0 in 1990.
"It's ended tonight," Quinn said, "but it's been brilliant along the
way."
