Japan led going into the final minute of extra-time but Hwang Jae-Won equalised following a scramble inside the box to make the score 2-2 and send the game to penalties.
It was a redemptive moment for Hwang, who had conceded the penalty from which substitute Hajime Hosogai had given Japan the lead in the seventh minute of extra-time, but his joy proved short-lived. Ki Sung-Yueng had given South Korea the lead via another disputed penalty mid-way through the first half, with Ryoichi Maeda drawing Japan level nine minutes before half-time.
South Korea withstood early Japanese pressure before coming close to making the breakthrough themselves in the 16th minute courtesy Ki. A minute later it was Japan’s turn to threaten and the South Korean goal was fortunate to survive intact as Shinji Okazaki’s downward header was scrambled onto the left-hand post by Jung Sung-Ryong.
Park Ji-Sung won the penalty from which Korea took the lead but in the 36th minute Japan drew level. Korea came close to establishing a 2-1 lead in the 72nd minute, but Lee Yong-Rae’s dead-ball effort missed the right-hand upright by a whisker.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2011.
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