Ten-man South Korea secured third place in the Asian Cup - and qualification for the next edition of the tournament - by downing East Asian rivals Japan in a penalty shootout.
The Koreans were reduced to 10 players in the third place play-off match when Kang Min-soo was sent off in the 56th minute, but managed to hold on for their third consecutive goalless stalemate thanks to some excellent goalkeeping by Lee Woon-jae.
And the Korean keeper would emerge as his side's hero once again in the shootout, saving Naotake Hanyu's attempt to give his side a 6-5 victory.
With the win, the Koreans earned a berth in the 2011 Asian Cup with 2007 finalists Iraq and Saudi Arabia, while three-time champions Japan will have to earn their spot via the qualification tournament.
An 11th-minute Yasuhito Endo free-kick forced Lee into the first save of the match but it was the Koreans who had the majority of the chances in the first half, with Yeom Ki-hun firing narrowly wide after 16 minutes and forcing Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi to punch over a 24th-minute free-kick.
Kawaguchi was called into action again a minute later to tip over an Oh Jang-eun shot and also stopped a hard low shot by Lee Chun-soo in the 41st minute.
But it was the Japanese who nearly went in front shortly before half-time when Shunsuke Nakamura's corner was met by Yuki Nakazawa inside the Korean six-yard box, forcing an excellent point-blank save from Lee Woon-jae.
The game took a dramatic turn after 56 minutes when Kang was dismissed by United Arab Emirates referee Ali Al Badwawi after being shown his second yellow card for a body-check on Naohiro Takahara.
However, the Japanese failed to take advantage of the extra man as Takahara fired over from the edge of the box and substitute Hanyu was brilliantly denied by Lee Woon-jae after being sent clear by Nakamura in the 74th minute.
Deep into stoppage time, Hisato Sato went within inches of winning the match as his shot from the left of the box flew just past the far post.
The Japanese had their chances in extra time with Hanyu squandering a glorious opportunity when he fired the ball at Kim Chi-gon with the goal at his mercy, while Sato flicked Yuichi Komano's low cross on-target only to be denied by Lee Woon-jae.
The Korean goalkeeper's heroics did not end there as he emerged as a penalty shootout hero once again, reaching up with his right hand to keep out Hanyu's spot-kick after the first 11 attempts had been converted.
And the Korean keeper would emerge as his side's hero once again in the shootout, saving Naotake Hanyu's attempt to give his side a 6-5 victory.
With the win, the Koreans earned a berth in the 2011 Asian Cup with 2007 finalists Iraq and Saudi Arabia, while three-time champions Japan will have to earn their spot via the qualification tournament.
An 11th-minute Yasuhito Endo free-kick forced Lee into the first save of the match but it was the Koreans who had the majority of the chances in the first half, with Yeom Ki-hun firing narrowly wide after 16 minutes and forcing Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi to punch over a 24th-minute free-kick.
Kawaguchi was called into action again a minute later to tip over an Oh Jang-eun shot and also stopped a hard low shot by Lee Chun-soo in the 41st minute.
But it was the Japanese who nearly went in front shortly before half-time when Shunsuke Nakamura's corner was met by Yuki Nakazawa inside the Korean six-yard box, forcing an excellent point-blank save from Lee Woon-jae.
The game took a dramatic turn after 56 minutes when Kang was dismissed by United Arab Emirates referee Ali Al Badwawi after being shown his second yellow card for a body-check on Naohiro Takahara.
However, the Japanese failed to take advantage of the extra man as Takahara fired over from the edge of the box and substitute Hanyu was brilliantly denied by Lee Woon-jae after being sent clear by Nakamura in the 74th minute.
Deep into stoppage time, Hisato Sato went within inches of winning the match as his shot from the left of the box flew just past the far post.
The Japanese had their chances in extra time with Hanyu squandering a glorious opportunity when he fired the ball at Kim Chi-gon with the goal at his mercy, while Sato flicked Yuichi Komano's low cross on-target only to be denied by Lee Woon-jae.
The Korean goalkeeper's heroics did not end there as he emerged as a penalty shootout hero once again, reaching up with his right hand to keep out Hanyu's spot-kick after the first 11 attempts had been converted.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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