Iran crashed out of the AFC Asian Cup on penalties for the third time in four tournaments as South Korea qualified for the semi-finals with a 4-2 shootout victory.
World Cup hero Lee Woon-jae saved from Mehdi Mahdavikia and Rasoul Khatibi before Kim Jung-woo scored the final penalty to take Pim Verbeek's team through to the last four and a meeting with Iraq in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.
Iran, winners of the Asian Cup on three occasions, lost to Saudi Arabia at the semi-final stage in 1996 and against China three years ago and their 31-year continental championship drought continues.
The Koreans, meanwhile, remain on course to win the title for the first time since 1960, when they won the second of two successive Asian Cups.
On a bumpy pitch made all the more unplayable by the incessant rain, neither side impressed for any sustained period.
Hassan Roudbarian was forced into action midway through the half when Kim Sang-sik's long-range effort took a deflection off Lee Chun-soo, but the goalkeeper held on to the ball at full stretch.
Ali Karimi then saw his shot saved by the quick-thinking Lee Woon-jae after Vahid Hashemian's run through the Korean defence set the former Bayern Munich man up for his shot on goal, only for Lee to race out and save at his feet.
And as the half ended, Karimi's slaloming run set up Hashemian, whose lay-off to Mahdavikia deserved better than to be blocked by the Korean defence.
The poor state of the pitch almost worked in Korea's favour, however, when Yeom Ki-hun almost caught Roudbarian out with a shot which bobbled on the uneven turf, but the Pas goalkeeper did just enough to push the ball around the post.
And with seconds left in normal time, Reza Enayati could have won the game for Iran just two minutes after coming on for Hashemian, but he could only push Ferydoon Zandi's cross from the left wide of the goal.
As a result, the game went into extra-time but still neither side could find the back of the net.
Choi Sung-kuk's corner caused consternation in the Iran defence but it flew safely across the face of goal, while at the other end Karimi beat several defenders before teeing up Javad Nekounam, but the Osasuna man dragged his shot wide from the edge of the penalty area just before the end of the first period of extra-time.
There were even fewer opportunities in the second period as the game slid towards the inevitable penalty shootout and Lee's heroics between the posts.
Iran, winners of the Asian Cup on three occasions, lost to Saudi Arabia at the semi-final stage in 1996 and against China three years ago and their 31-year continental championship drought continues.
The Koreans, meanwhile, remain on course to win the title for the first time since 1960, when they won the second of two successive Asian Cups.
On a bumpy pitch made all the more unplayable by the incessant rain, neither side impressed for any sustained period.
Hassan Roudbarian was forced into action midway through the half when Kim Sang-sik's long-range effort took a deflection off Lee Chun-soo, but the goalkeeper held on to the ball at full stretch.
Ali Karimi then saw his shot saved by the quick-thinking Lee Woon-jae after Vahid Hashemian's run through the Korean defence set the former Bayern Munich man up for his shot on goal, only for Lee to race out and save at his feet.
And as the half ended, Karimi's slaloming run set up Hashemian, whose lay-off to Mahdavikia deserved better than to be blocked by the Korean defence.
The poor state of the pitch almost worked in Korea's favour, however, when Yeom Ki-hun almost caught Roudbarian out with a shot which bobbled on the uneven turf, but the Pas goalkeeper did just enough to push the ball around the post.
And with seconds left in normal time, Reza Enayati could have won the game for Iran just two minutes after coming on for Hashemian, but he could only push Ferydoon Zandi's cross from the left wide of the goal.
As a result, the game went into extra-time but still neither side could find the back of the net.
Choi Sung-kuk's corner caused consternation in the Iran defence but it flew safely across the face of goal, while at the other end Karimi beat several defenders before teeing up Javad Nekounam, but the Osasuna man dragged his shot wide from the edge of the penalty area just before the end of the first period of extra-time.
There were even fewer opportunities in the second period as the game slid towards the inevitable penalty shootout and Lee's heroics between the posts.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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