World Cup
June 25, 2002
South Korea
0 - 1
Germany
World Cup
11:30 +00:00, June 25, 2002
Seoul Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
Referee: Urs Meier (SUI)
South Korea's fans are giving their heroes a tremendous ovation... they nearly, but not quite, made it all the way to the final- Guus Hiddink's side have had a wonderful run, but they couldn't find a way past Germany - the crucial goal came from Ballack and brings a 1-0 victory
- That's the end of the South Korea story: Germany are through as the final whistle goes
Germany only have to hold on for a few more seconds... up goes the offside flag, and they'll be more than happy with that
Hamann hoofs clear... Lee Min-Sung is booked for a foul on Bierhoff
Lee Woon-Jae plays it downfield... Bode gets there... desperate times for South Korea now
Frings has taken a knock and is down... South Korea really should have forced a save out of Kahn at the very least from that chance
...and the ball is pulled back to Park Ji-Sung some 16 yards out. He skews it horribly wide - is that his side's last chance?
Korea throw near the Germany area: they're flooding forward but Germany have everyone back. Here comes the noise from the stands again...
Germany are just stoppage time away from the final. Four minutes of that, says the assistant ref
Then Lee Young-Pyo takes a chance from distance, only to see his effort flash well wide
Gerald Asamoah comes on for Neuville... it's all gone a bit quiet. South Korea come forward again and Seol Ki-Hyun is robbed by Hamann
Metzelder is there as South Korea try to lift the ball into the area. The pressure is relieved as Hamann is fouled. Free-kick...
Jens Jeremies has come on, and off goes Bernd Schneider. Bierhoff threads the ball through to Bode on the edge of the area but South Korea win it back
Neuville's booked for diving in the area as he chases a through ball and tumbles over... Germany have made a change...
Frings stands his ground well - so well that he wins Germany a free-kick as frustration grows for Korea
Another break from the co-hosts: Cha Doo-Ri, though, is adjudged to have committed a foul and the fans don't like that one little bit
Will it be enough to bring them a late leveller? Seol Ki-Hyun breaks forward but is challenged well
Seol Ki-Hyun replaces Hong Myung-Bo... an addition to South Korea's forward power for the last few minutes
It's cleared to the edge of the area, where Frings unleashes a shot which is much too high
Schneider is looking at this... it's tapped to Bode and Lee Woon-Jae tips his effort around the post for a corner
He's fouled and Germany have a free-kick within shooting range...
Germany are sitting deep now... they hit it long towards Bierhoff
Kahn punches clear... can South Korea rescue their World Cup dream with less than 15 minutes to go?
South Korea storm straight forward and Kahn has to parry a dangerous cross behind for a corner...
But it breaks down and a low cross finds Ballack. His first effort is saved but he lashes the second past Lee Woon-Jae - it's 1-0 Germany!
A Linke foul gives South Korea another free-kick... it's just inside the Germany half
Song Chong-Gug hits a shot from outside the area. Kahn holds on, but South Korea are beginning to get on top of things now
Lee Chun-Soo tries to float it and it hits the wall, going behind for a corner
This is around 25 yards out and central...
Frings crosses - and Korea break. Lee Chun-Soo surges forward and is hauled down by Ballack. The Germany man gets a booking and will miss the final should his side get there
Germany trying to build now... it breaks down and Voeller opts to freshen up his attack, bringing on Bierhoff for Klose
Kahn elects to punch - and does it to good effect, getting plenty of distance on the ball
...and the patience pays off with a corner as Frings gets a challenge in
South Korea switch the ball from side to side without making much forward ground... they're being patient here
Kim Tae-Young starts another good passing move: Bode blocks, Ahn Jung-Hwan crosses and Kahn claims
Ramelow surges forward and finds Klose, who gets his contact all wrong and balloons it very high
...and forward come South Korea... Ahn Jung-Hwan tries a shot after a ricochet breaks to him, but lifts it way over Kahn's goal
Ballack finds Klose with a looping cross: Lee Woon-Jae plucks it out of the air with ease to storms of applause
It's cleared again, and at the other end Kim Tae-Young does superbly to hold off the lurking Neuville
Schneider gets it away for a throw... and then Ramelow has to put the ball out for a corner
Half an hour of normal time remaining: Frings brings down Lee Chun-Soo on the left and this is a good crossing position...
Lee Chun-Soo can't get onto a pass through the middle, but that was brisk work from the co-hosts
Still very little to choose between the two sides: Germany looking slightly the more dangerous, but here come South Korea...
Then Neuville has a go from the edge of the box - it's well wide, though
Bode is lurking in the area again... Song Chong-Gug clears for a corner, which is headed clear
Hiddink, as is his wont, is ringing the changes
Another change for the co-hosts: Choi Jun-Chul goes off and Lee Min-Sung is his replacement
Linke gets his head to the ball, but it drifts out of play for a goal-kick on the far side
South Korea make a change... Ahn Jung-Hwan replaces Hwang Sun-Hong. Germany win a corner...
...and then moves forward to hit a low shot which is scuffed and goes wide of the far post
Linke plays a long ball forward - Ballack is denied time and space and South Korea break... Frings steps in
Frings makes an excellent challenge as Cha Doo-Ri almost breaks clear through the middle... excellent play by both him and South Korea there
Kim Tae-Young hasn't come out of that one looking too happy... but he's soon back on his feet
The free-kick is floated in, and again Korea stand their ground against Germany's attackers
Ballack is grounded after a heavy challenge... he's being treated...
Good play by Germany - they've put some good football together in this game so far
It goes out via a good clearing header from Song Cong-Gug, but the corner comes to nothing
Kahn plays the ball short out of his area and Ramelow looks to move on... Klose crosses towards Bode after a snappy move and it only just eludes him
...not for long - more good pressing from South Korea wins it back
Attempts to move forward are thwarted, and Schneider brings the ball out for the Germans
Korea have a free-kick inside their own half, and play it patiently around at the back...
The ball's straight through to Lee Woon-Jae - trmendous noise from the crowd again
Off we go again - Germany get the second period of this first semi-final under way
- That is half-time: it's been intriguing but goalless and, had it not been for that fine Kahn save, the co-hosts could have been in front
They head clear as South Korea play a long ball forward, and we're seconds away from the break now
Germany calmly passing the ball around, just eating up the seconds until the break
Frings shepherds the ball over the line with Lee Chun-Soo chasing... goal-kick to Germany
Three minutes of stoppage time have been signalled by the assistant referee
Frings crosses for Germany... Song Chong-Gug clears for a corner, which causes a scramble before the referee spots a Germany foul and South Korea can breathe again
It's played in with pace and swerve and cleared... Choi Jun-Chul has been hurt in dealing with it and will need some treatment
Hamann is crowded out... South Korea have a throw inside their own half but give it away and Neuville is fouled in a dangerous crossing position...
Schneider looks for Metzelder... forward Cha Doo-Ri is back helping out and clears for South Korea
Frings crosses once more, and once more that is towards Klose... the header, however, is wayward
Klose makes himself a chance with some great skill on the edge of the area, and his final effort is well blocked
Five minutes to the break in what has been a good semi-final so far... Germany have produced a vastly superior performance to that which was lucky to see off the US
Klose can't gather the latest ball forward and it runs through to keeper Lee Woon-Jae
But again the disciplined defending of Guus Hiddink's team shines through
Bode heads it on and South Korea scramble that behind for another flag-kick. The Germans are dangerous from crosses...
Schneider wins the ball for Neuville - he gains his side a corner...
Until Cha Doo-Ri runs out of space as he tries to keep the ball in play. That's a throw to Germany
It's crossed long by Park Ji-Sung - too long, but South Korea retain possession...
Ramelow gets it away, but Song Chong-Gug fires in another cross and wins another corner
Corner for the co-hosts: Hwang Sun-Hong turns and shoots and the ball is deflected behind
Downfield it goes from Kahn, and South Korea give away a free-kick from which Bode tries to find Metzelder... that one breaks down
Ramelow's there to head clear as the ball goes into the area
Neuville is penalised for a push - free-kick South Korea, round about halfway...
Cha Doo-Ri clears it and Frings tries his luck from 25 yards. His luck's not in: that one skids well wide
Kim Tae-Young clears as Frings breaks: Frings gets involved again and wins a corner on the right
Neuville breaks into the area after Hamann and Schneider had linked well: the co-hosts defend that brilliantly, forcing him away from goal before winning the ball back
There's a nice ebb and flow about this game now: Germany have a free-kick, and from it Neuville volleys wide from what was a very difficult angle
Ballack crosses and Kim Tae-Young produces a crucial clearing header: Lee Chun-Soo then crosses at the other end from an excellent break, and Kahn makes a good catch
More anger in the crowd as Hwang Sun-Hong and Ramelow clash again - and again the referee's verdict is in favour of the Germany star
Frings slings in a cross which South Korea clear. Hamann steps in to stop the co-hosts as they attempt to break away
Klose can't get to Neuville's ball as Germany attack again - the German bench think it should have been a penalty, but that would have been harsh
Germany, at the moment, have the edge... Hwang Sun-Hong is penalised for a foul on Ramelow as he goes past him. The crowd is resolutely unamused by that decision
Metzelder comes forward and tries to find space in which to cross - the pace of the ball beats him, though, and that will be a goal-kick
He's carried off for treatment... meantime, Germany are looking to build again
Lee Young-Po is grounded after a strong challenge... he'll need attention
His pass is headed clear... Hamann crosses and Hong Myung-Bo intercepts
A decent start to the game so far... Germany are beginning to settle to their passing now. Ramelow carries the play forward...
Park Ji-Sung shoots too close to Kahn... then, at the other end, Neuville gets a volley in and it's Lee Woon-Jae's turn to make a stop
Then Frings crosses - this is a decent spell for Germany - and Korea clear and engineer a good break...
And they come away, looking for Neuville once more... the cross is just too high for him
Thomas Linke is the man in the right place for Germany
Song Chong-Gug produces a good turn to give himself time and space on the right...
Neuville crosses for Germany - South Korea clear that with minimal ceremony... Klose challenges for a cross but can't make anything of it
Neuville goes to ground inside the South Korea half but play is waved on... Cha Doo-Ri chases, but he won't get to that pass down the right
A low cross comes in, but Germany can hook that one away without too many problems
Yet again, though, Korea are straight back in possession - again they thread some good passes together and win a throw deep inside the Germany half
...but from it, the ball forward is aimless and Kahn can gather under no pressure
Metzelder heads the ball out for a throw near the Germany area - that leads to another throw...
A fine move, a fine effort - and Kahn again underlined his abilities with the stop
...then a great ball frees Cha Doo-Ri: Lee Chun-Soo hits an excellent shot and Kahn makes a cracking save low to his right
Yoo Sang-Chul heads clear and Korea's attempts to break are foiled by Ballack's well-timed challenge
Meanwhile, the fans are cranking the volume up to still greater heights
It's a decent cross from the right, and a decent claim by Lee Woon-Jae
Klose tries to get onto a long ball forward: it's well defended but Schneider will play it back in again...
And there's some good passing going on... patience despite the high tempo
Korea on the ball again - a clever flick nearly frees Lee chun-Soo, but not quite... they snap in and win possession straight back
But Germany are crowding the Koreans out, defending tightly. Cha Doo-Ri is double marked out on the left and can't keep possession: a good example
...back come the co-hosts: Kim Tae-Young is looking for forward options
Metzelder heads clear as South Korea launch another angled ball forward
Lee Woon-Jae holds onto that one - not too difficult, really - and gets cheered like a gladiator
Ramelow comes forward on the right for Germany - he forces his way into the area and fires in a low angled shot...
Germany just trying to take the pace out of the start - they're passing the ball around in defence
Immediately, the ball is played long but Lee Chun-Soo can't keep it in play
South Korea get us under way - watch out for the customary fast start from Guus Hiddink's side
We're about to find out: millions and millions of South Korea fans are waiting and hoping. Germany and Rudi Voeller will have plenty to say about that
The anthems are being played... can South Korea take their amazing World Cup one step further and make it to the final?
There must be a Germany fan or two around the place somewhere, but it's pretty impossible to see where
The atmosphere, as it has been for all South Korea's games, is fantastic: the stadium is a riot of colour and the sound is awesome
And their opponents, Germany, look like this: Kahn, Linke, Frings, Metzelder, Ramelow, Hamann, Ballack, Schneider, Bode, Neuville, Klose. Subs: Asamoah, Baumann, Bierhoff, Bohme, Butt, Jancker, Jeremies, Kehl, Lehmann, Rehmer, Ricken, Ziege
This is how the co-hosts will be lining up: Woon-Jae Lee, Jin-Cheul Choi, Hong, Tae-Young Kim, Yoo, Yong-Pyo Lee, Chun-Soo Lee, Park, Song, Hwang, Cha. Subs: Ahn, En-Sung Choi, Sung-Young Choi, Tae-Uk Choi, Yong-Soo Choi, Hyun, Byung-Ji Kim, Nam-Il Kim, Eul-Young Lee, Min-Sung Lee, Seol, Yoon
Kick off in the semi-final - the biggest occasion in South Korean football history - is a matter of ten minutes or so away now...
