DAEJEON, South Korea – South Korea pulled off a stunning 2-1 upset of
Italy at the World Cup on Tuesday, getting the tying goal with two
minutes left in regulation and the game-winner in overtime.
Ahn Jung-hwan, who missed a penalty shot in the first half, scored 27
minutes into the extra period on a header off a long pass, just the
latest surprise at a World Cup full of them.
The victory puts the co-hosts in the quarterfinals against Spain, and
sends the three-time champions home. South Korea, undefeated in the
first round, hadn't even won a game in five previous trips to soccer's
biggest event.
The South Koreans matched the feat of their northern neighbors, who
became the first Asian team to advance to the quarterfinals in 1966,
also by shocking Italy.
"We made it to the last eight because of the big support from the fans,"
defender Kim Tae-young said. "We will catch Spain in the quarterfinals.
Please trust us."
Seol Ki-hyeon sent the match into overtime - and the 40,000 fans into
delirium - with his goal in the 88th minute. He pounced on a deflection
from Italian defender Christian Panucci and banged in a left-footed
equalizer from close range.
"I haven't scored in the previous games, but I believed in myself," Seol
said. "I knew that I would be to score at a crucial moment. Today was
that day."
The Italians were reduced to 10 men 13 minutes into overtime when
Francesco Totti was given a questionable yellow card for what Ecuadorean
referee Byron Moreno believed was a dive in the penalty box. Totti was
ejected because it was his second yellow card of the game.
On the game-winner, Ahn outjumped Italian captain Paolo Maldini to meet
a floating pass into the area from Lee Young-pyo and headed the ball
past goalie Gianluigi Buffon.
"This is football, but if one of the teams should have advanced to the
quarterfinals it should have been Italy," coach Giovanni Trapattoni said.
"We had more goal chances. Korea played with their hearts."
After Ahn scored, he sprinted to the corner of the field, kissing his
ring finger and then slumping to his knees as he was mobbed by
teammates. Fireworks erupted outside the stadium and the fans, virtually
all dressed in the shirts of their beloved "Red Devils," burst into
celebration.
The crowd started chanting "Dae Han Min Guk," or "Republic of Korea,"
and waving the national flag as the stunned Italians sat on the field or
walked to the sideline.
The Koreans did a victory lap and then joined arms in front of the main
stand, jumping and dancing in a line.
Christian Vieri gave Italy the lead with a pinpoint header in the 18th
minute off a corner kick.
The Italian striker outmaneuvered a pack of defenders to meet Totti's
corner kick from the left side and angled a header between Lee Woon-jae
and the near post.
Vieri ran to the sideline with his right forefinger to his lips, telling
the home fans the Italians were going to silence them.
Vieri's fourth goal of this tournament lifted his World Cup career total
to nine, tying Roberto Baggio and Paolo Rossi for the national record.
The Italians were cool and composed in the first half, but they lost
control and became more ragged as the game progressed.
In overtime, South Korea got a free kick after 11 minutes when Maldini
tackled Park Ji-sung. But Hwang Sun-hong's low shot from 20 yards out
was brilliantly saved by Buffon, who tipped the ball around the post
while diving at full stretch.
Buffon made another good save in the 22nd minute of overtime, then Lee
Woon-jae made his own critical stop on Gennaro Gattuso's right-footed
drive.
The game-winner was sweet for Ahn, who missed a penalty shot in the 4th
minute that could have given the home team the lead.
Christian Panucci was penalized for dragging Seol Ki-Hyeon down inside
the area and Ahn's right-footed shot was well saved by Buffon, who dived
to his right.
Ahn hooked a shot across goal in the 36th minute, had a free kick
ricochet off the Italian defensive wall in the 44th and spiraled a
left-foot shot over the crossbar from a free kick in the 58th minute.
South Korea advanced to the second round for the first time after
winning its group with victories over Poland and Portugal and a 1-1 tie
with the United States.
The 41,000-seat Daejeon World Cup Stadium was packed. Thousands more
watched on TV screens outside of the stadium, joining those who had
camped on a sidewalk for five days in a bid to get last-minute tickets.
The Italians had hoped to avoid a repeat of the dramatic loss to North
Korea in 1966, which remains one of the event's biggest upsets.
When the Italians ran onto the field to start the game, thousands of
white signs raised at the northern end of the stadium said: "Again,
1966."
