South Korea topple Iran on penalties

AFP - South Korea won a gruelling and fluctuating epic 4-2 on penalties against Iran in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday night to set up an Asian Cup semi-final with Iraq.

The shoot-out became the circuit-breaker after both teams had played themselves to a standstill over the regulation 90 minutes and 30 minutes of extra time without scoring a goal.

The Koreans held their nerve in a tense shoot-out with their veteran goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae proving the hero when he saved efforts from Mehdi Mahdavikia and Rasoul Khatibi to much acclaim from the chanting Korean supporters.

It was the second quarter-final at the tournament to go to a shoot-out after Japan knocked out Australia 4-3 on penalties in Hanoi on Saturday night.

But the Koreans will have just two days to recover from the energy-sapping match, played on a heavy pitch, before facing Iraq in Wednesday's semi-final in Kuala Lumpur.

It was huge relief for South Korea, who had been beaten twice in their three previous quarter-finals with Iran at the Asian Cup.

South Korea twice won the Asian Cup in the origins of the tournament in 1960 and 1964, and despite finals appearances in 1972, 1980 and 1988 have yet to add another trophy.

They are now just one game away from the July 29 final in Jakarta.

It was tough, uncompromising football with solid challenges and a large number of fouls, with the Koreans giving as good as they got from three-time champions Iran, a pre-tournament favourite.

Woon-jae was forced to make an important body block on Ali Karimi's close-range volley a few minutes from half-time, and defender Kim Jin-kyu needed to make a hurried clearance to keep his team's goal intact right on the berak.

Striker Yeom Ki-hun almost broke the deadlock on the hour when his shot bobbled off the wet surface and Rodbarian did well to turn it away for a corner and keep his goal intact.

Khatibi beat the advancing goalkeeper Lee but defender Oh Beom-seok conceded a yellow card for his tackle that brought down Khatibi wide on the left in a let-off for South Korea in the 68th minute.

The match went into extra-time and Javad Nekounam looked poised to score at the end of the first period when his drive off a Karimi lay-off flashed just wide of the left post.

In the final minute of extra-time Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei replaced goalkeepers with Vahid Talebloo coming on for Rodbarian as he planned his strategy for the penalty shoot-out.

Penalty Shootout (Korea first)

1 – Lee Chun-soo scored. Ferydoon Zandi scored.

2- Kim Sang-sik scored. Mehdi Mahdavikia –keeper saved

3- Kim Doohyun –keeper saved. Reza Enayati scored

4- Cho Jae-jin scored. Rassoul Khatibi –keeper saved

5- Kim Jung-woo scored