Clinical SKorea ousts Iraq to seal final spot
Print Edition
SOUTH Korea stormed into the Asian Cup final with a clinical 2-0 victory over Iraq yesterday, avenging a painful defeat at the same stage eight years ago.
Goals from Lee Jeong-hyeop and Kim Young-gwon did the job for the Koreans, who dominated a wet semifinal in Sydney to move a step closer to ending a title drought dating all the way back to 1960.
They face hosts Australia or the United Arab Emirates this weekend in their first final appearance at Asia’s showcase tournament in 27 years.
“We can’t speak anymore about pressure,” South Korea’s coach Uli Stielike told reporters.
“We came to Australia as the third-ranked team in Asia and we have achieved all the goals we set. What comes now is extra. We have already taken a big step forward.”
The German insisted that South Korea’s 1-0 win over Australia in the group stage would count for little if, as he predicted, it meets the Socceroos again on Saturday.
“You know what Australia team we played that day,” he sniffed. “(Mile) Jedinak injured, (Tim) Cahill on the bench, (Mathew) Leckie on the bench, (Robbie) Kruse on the bench,” he added as his phone went off.
“My wife,” deadpanned Stielike, before continuing: “We didn’t play the best Australia team. For me there is no doubt they will reach the final and we have to be prepared to play the best Australia team.”
There was no repeat of Iraq’s shock win over South Korea in 2007, when it won a dramatic penalty shoot-out before completing its fairytale run by beating Saudi Arabia to lift the trophy in Jakarta.
South Korea, still to concede in its five matches, simply overpowered the Iraqis, Lee climbing to glance in a free-kick from Kim Jin-su after 20 minutes.
Golden boy Son Heung-min had already forced goalkeeper Jalal Hassan into a smart save with a long-distance rocket before Lee — a surprise Asian Cup call-up by Stielike — netted his second goal of the tournament.
Lee, who scored in the 1-0 win over Australia in the group stages, turned provider five minutes after the break, chesting down a high ball for Kim to smash home from the edge of the box.
Skipper Ki Sung-yueng stung Hassan’s gloves with another howitzer from long range as South Korea continued to swarm forward, the mercurial Son proving a different class as he ghosted effortlessly past Iraq’s bedraggled players.
Iraq coach Radhi Shenaishil, looking forlorn in a plastic poncho, barked out orders to his troops, but there was little left in the tank after battling fierce rival Iran to a standstill in the quarterfinals.
Iraq, which prevailed 7-6 on penalties after a helter-skelter 3-3 draw, rarely threatened despite the threat posed by 2007 hero Younis Mahmoud, and the final whistle triggered wild celebrations among the massed ranks of Korean fans in the crowd of 36,000.
“We knew it was going to be tough,” said Shenaishil. “Korea have a quality team with a lot of players in top leagues in the world. For us there were a lot of positives to take from the tournament.”
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
