Korean dream continues with penalties success

South Korea beat Spain 5-3 in a penalty shootout victory in Gwangju today to reach the World Cup semi-finals after 120 minutes…

South Korea beat Spain 5-3 in a penalty shootout victory in Gwangju today to reach the World Cup semi-finals after 120 minutes had failed to produce a goal.

Skipper Hong Myung-Bo became the hero of Korea when he blasted home the winning penalty after Spain's Joaquin had failed to tie the score at 4-4.

While Hong was being hugged by his teammates a tearful Joaquin was led off the field by teammates trying to console him.

Joaquin missed as goalkeeper Lee Woon-Jae guessed correctly and dived to his left.

READ MORE

Korea's victory makes them the first ever Asian team to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.

They now meet Germany in Seoul next Tuesday for a place in the final in Yokohama, Japan, on June 30th.

Spain had been seeking to reach the World Cup semi-finals for only the second time after 1950 and the luck had been on their side in the previous round as they saw off Ireland in a shootout.

This time lady luck shone on the Koreans, whose scarlet-shirted 'Red Devils' fans went wild at the end.

In truth, it was a hard luck story for the Spanish.

Ruben Baraja had nodded into the net for the Spaniards five minutes after the interval but Egyptian referee Gamal Ghandour had already blown for some shirt tugging.

Fernando Morientes then also headed home two minutes into extra-time from a Joaquin cross but that effort was likewise ruled out by a linesman's flag - apparently in the mistaken belief the ball had crossed the goalline.

AFP