South Korea vs Poland - 2002 World Cup Group Match

Home: World Cup 2002: Korea-Japan Finals: 1st Round: Match Report

Tuesday June 4th, 2002

Victory Tastes Sweeter Than Kimchi

For the first time in World Cup finals history there were two host nations.

South Korea hoped for their first World Cup finals victory in front of the home fans and hopefully make history by qualifying for the second round.

Poland kicked-off from right to left and the first chance fell to Jacek Krzynowek, who shot into the side-netting when clear into the left side of the area; one of his favourite scoring positions at FC Nürnberg.

The game started slightly slower than the earlier Japan vs Belgium match, although Poland almost had a second chance within five minutes.

The Korean fans filled the stadium dressed red and, like the Japanese, were keen to provide a loud vocal encouragement to their players.

The first real chance for the home side came in the 20th minute, when Yoo Sang-Chul shot across the face of an outstretched Dudek.

1:0
South Korea started to apply more pressure and took the lead in the 25th minute. Lee Eul-Young played the ball into Hwang Sun-Hong who hit the ball first time to lift the roof off the stadium.

Korea continued to take the game to Poland, who seemed to miss a leader in midfield, and had a goal disallowed for offside in the 38th minute.

When the Koreans break through, Jerzy Dudek looks very vulnerable and shows little movement off his line to narrow the angle.

Half-time: South Korea 1 - Poland 0

South Korea, who have played very fair and hardly committed any fouls, started the second-half full of confidence. Poland on the other hand tried a similar move down the left to the one that almost got them off to a good start and seem lacking in ideas.

The Koreans continued to apply the pressure and five minutes into the second-half Park Ji-Sung was unlucky not to keep his shot lower at the far post.

2:0
In the 53rd minute South Korea took earned their second goal...... Yoo Sang-Chul runs toward Tomasz Waldoch and Radoslav Kaluzny, then confidently shoots between them and past Dudek Even the President of Korea is waving his hat, Korea are on their way to their first ever win in the World Cup finals.

Seven minutes from time, Jerzy Dudek saved Poland from total embarrassment by getting down to block Ahn Jung-Hwan's shot at his near post.

In this match, Poland looked totally disappointing and South Korea very inspired, by their totally committed fans, and should feel satisfied with this performance; a credit as co-hosts of the tournament.

Gus Hiddink must be proud too; being the only Dutchman at the World Cup finals.

A well deserved victory.

Final Score:
South Korea 2 - Poland 0

Man of the Match:
What was his name again? - The whole team showed such will and discipline that it would be cruel to single anyone out.

Yellow Cards:
Jacek Krzynowek (32 mins)
Park Ji-Sung (71 mins)
Tomasz Hajto (80 mins)
Piotr Swierczewski (85 mins)

The Teams

South Korea:
1 Lee Woon-Jae; 4 Choi Jun-Chul, 20 Hong Myung-Bo, 7 Kim Tae-Young; 22 Song Chong-Gug, 13 Lee Eul-Young, 21 Park Ji-Sung, 5 Kim Nam-Il, 6 Yoo Sang-Chul (14 Lee Chun-Soo - 62mins); 9 Seol Ki-Hyun (16 Cha Doo-Ri - 89 mins), 18 Hwang Sun-Hong (19 Ahn Jung-Hwan - 50 mins).

Poland:
1 Jerzy Dudek; 20 Jacek Bak (2 Tomasz Klos - 51 mins), 6 Tomasz Hajto, 21 Marek Kozminski, 15 Tomasz Waldoch, 4 Michal Zewlakow; 10 Radoslav Kaluzny (14 Marcin Zewlakow - 65 mins), 18 Jacek Krzynowek, 7 Piotr Swierczewski; 11 Emmanuel Olisadebe, 19 Maciej Zurawski (9 Pawel Kryszalowicz - 46mins).

Referee: Oscar Ruiz