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South Korea beats Portugal 1-0
Park Ji-sung scored for South Korea in the 70th-minute against Portugal to give the co-hosts the first place in Group D.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: February 25, 2007 08:27 AM IST
Read Time:3 min
Incheon, South Korea:
Park Ji-sung shocked nine-man Portugal with a 70th-minute goal Friday as South Korea won 1-0 and finished in first place in Group D while eliminating the Portuguese from the World Cup. The South Korean win also sent the United States, which was losing to Poland 3-1 in the other group match, to the round of 16 for the second time in four World Cups. The co-hosts play three-time champion Italy in the second round on Tuesday in Daejeon while the U.S. plays CONCACAF-rival Mexico in Jeonju on Monday. Joao Pinto and Beto were both red-carded, one in each half. Pinto was dismissed - despite protests from most of the Portuguese players - after smashing into Park with a two-footed challenge from behind. Beto was sent off after receiving his second yellow card in the 65th minute. The winning goal came after Park took a cross from the left, chested the ball down, flicked it around his marker and drove a shot through Portuguese goalkeeper Vitor Baia's legs. Portugal almost leveled in the last minute when Sergio Conceicao sent a volley onto the post. South Korea won the group with seven points while the United States finished second with four. Portugal managed just three points, ahead of disappointing Poland on goal difference. Portugal had the best chance of the first half as Luis Figo split the South Korean defense with a neat through-pass to Pauleta. The Portugal striker advanced to the edge of the area but blasted his shot over with just the 'keeper to beat. Earlier, South Korea, playing in its sixth World Cup, had Lee Young-pyo blast a shot over the bar from 25-meters (yards) in the fourth minute. In the 19th minute, Yoo Sang-chul picked up the ball deep in the Portugal half, skipped around his marker and rifled a low shot wide of the right post. In the second half, Seol Ki-hyeon and Yoo Sang-chul sent headers wide of the right post at the start. Pauleta nearly grabbed his fourth goal of the tournament, flicking a header on target with the back of his head, but South Korea 'keeper Lee Woon-jae managed to claw the ball over. After the South Korean goal, Portugal had several clear chances to equalize and advance to the second round. Figo curled a free-kick over the Korean wall from the edge of box, which flew less than a meter (yard) wide of the left post. And in the 85th minute, Fernando Couto flicked the ball onto Nuno Gomez, who fluffed his shot from seven meters (yards), kicking the ball straight into the South Korean keeper's arms. Lineups: Portugal: 1-Vitor Baia; 2-Jorge Costa, 5-Fernando Couto, 7-Luis Figo, 8-Joao Pinto, 9-Pauleta (13-Jorge Andrade, 69), 11-Sergio Conceicao, 17-Paulo Bento, 20-Petit (21-Nuno Gomes, 77), 22-Beto, 23-Rui Jorge, (3-Abel Xavier, 73). South Korea: 1-Lee Woon-jae; 4-Choi Jin-cheul, 5-Kim Nam-il, 6-Yoo Sang-chul, 7-Kim Tae-young, 9-Seol Ki-hyeon, 10-Lee Young-pyo, 19-Ahn Jung-hwan (14-Lee Chin-soo, 93) 20-Hong Myung-bo (c), 21-Park Ji-sung, 22-Song Chong-gug. Referee: Angel Sanchez (Argentina).(AP)
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