Penalty 'king' Lee sends Korea to semis

Penalty 'king' Lee sends Korea to semis

John Crean and Tim Witcher, Agence France-Presse, Gwangju, South Korea

South Korea's penalty block 'king' Lee Woon-jae, whose spot kick save from Joaquin knocked Spain out of the World Cup, said after the match here Saturday that he was confident of saving 'at least one of their penalties."

The quarter-final clash ended in a 5-3 penalty shoot out win for World Cup co-hosts South Korea after 120 minutes of play finished goalless.

Lee, whose safe hands and shot-stopping skills have largely gone unnoticed during Korea's run to the semi-finals, has a 100 per cent record in penalty shoot outs for his club side Suwon Bluewings, the Asian club champions.

"In the Korean league there are no draws and every game is decided by penalty kicks," said the impressive Lee, who is known as the 'penalty block king'. "I have been involved in seven penalty shoot outs since 1998 and have not lost one.

"When the game went to penalties I was confident I could save at least one of the penalties," said a beaming Lee. "I guessed correctly for the Joaquin penalty and managed to block it. "I am really tired and I just want to rest a little."

Lee has made several good saves in the campaign and his positioning and reliability have been crucial to Korea's run to the semis.

"We have to thank Lee for his save," said captain Hong Myung- Bo. "It was a good stop."

Hong, who has played in every Korean game in the last three World Cup finals, said he was nervous when striding forward to take the final penalty which saw Korea into the last four.

"I was feeling a lot of tension but as a junior player I was a specialist penalty kicker. It has been a long time but the skill is still with me," said the veteran 33-year-old.

Meanwhile in Seoul. red pride exploded after South Korea pulled off another shock win Saturday sending millions of fans into delirious celebrations across the country.

Hundreds of thousands of people crushed into every spare corner of central Seoul and other major cities as the country put on an unprecedented World Cup-inspired show of patriotism.

Fans danced and hugged in disbelief after captain Hong Myong- bo scored the penalty that secured South Korea's quarter-final win over Spain.

"I waited for six hours to watch this match but I couldn't bear to watch penalties," said female fan Lim Hwang-dong who cried as she embraced friends in central Seoul.

Police said there were more than 850,000 people watching giant television screens at City Hall and another 800,000 at nearby Gwanghwamun. About 500,000 watched at other screens around the city.

Seoul authorities set off hundreds of fireworks around the city and the government officials said they would probably declare a public holiday to mark South Korea reaching the semi- final.

The size of the crowds that flooded the centers of major cities again took the authorities by surprise.

"We have trained for terrorists and World Cup hooligans but nothing like this," said a policeman trying to funnel the huge crowds, mainly teenagers and men and women in their early 20s, out of Gwanghwamun subway station.