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South Korea fans celebrate in Dublin city centre after their team knocked much-fancied Italy out of the World Cup
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South Korea 2 Italy 1
Italy were sensationally knocked out of the World Cup today when a golden goal from Ahn Jung-Hwan saw co-hosts South Korea score one of the greatest upsets in the 72-year history of the tournament.
Italy-based Ahn's 117th-minute strike settled a pulsating second round encounter which burst into life when Korea snatched an 88th-minute equaliser after Christian Vieri had given Italy the lead.
South Korea will now play Spain in the quarter-final in Gwangju on Saturday.
Italy had been only two minutes away from a place in the last eight after Vieri's fourth goal of the tournament on 18 minutes had given them a 1-0 lead.
The Inter Milan player's header came after Ahn saw a fourth-minute penalty saved. But Giovanni Trapattoni's superstars were left stunned when Belgium-based striker Seol Ki-Hyeon snatched an equaliser two minutes from time to send the match into extra-time.
Seol's bobbling finish - the Anderlecht attacker pouncing after Christian Panucci failed to clear - gave the Koreans a new lease of life.
Italy almost snatched a 90th-minute winner but Vieri somehow sidefooted over the bar from close range.
The Koreans could have claimed the win themselves in injury time when substitute Cha Du-Ri connected with a spectacular overhead kick that Gianluigi Buffon gathered.
The drama spilled over into extra-time with Totti's controversial sending off. The AS Roma playmaker was adjudged to have dived in the box under the challenge of Song Chong-Gug.
With penalties looming a cross swung in from the left was met by Perugia player Ahn leaping high above Paolo Maldini to head the ball into the net and secure the most dramatic victory.
AFP