Asian Cup: Iraq edges South Korea on penalties, into first final

(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-25 22:52

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia _ Noor Sabri made the crucial save and Iraq advanced to its first Asian Cup final by winning a penalty shootout 4-3 over South Korea on Wednesday, prompting wild celebrations in the war-torn nation.

With the shootout tied at 3-3, the Iraqi goalkeeper tipped Yeom Ki-hun's left-foot stab around the post to give his side the edge in the shootout, after regulation and extra time failed to produce a goal.

After Iraq converted its fourth penalty, Kim Jung-woo had to find the net to keep the game alive, but his shot hit the right post, prompting the Iraqis to swamp Sabri in celebrations that were mirrored in their homeland.

"You know the situation of the difficulties in Iraq," Noor Sabri said after the game.

"What we can achieve inside the field its a modest thing we can give to our people. We have to show them we are sharing with them the celebrations."

With their unlikely run through the tournament drawing wide attention and causing rare joy in their homeland, the Iraqis go into Sunday's final as sentimental favorite.

Iraq will meet the winner of Wednesday's later match between defending champion Japan and Saudi Arabia.

"This victory to bring us to the final, the Iraq people deserve that," Iraq's Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira said.

"We are in the final, you to support us one more game."

The match began with a very cautious first half, with the teams adjusting to playing conditions made difficult by a pre-match downpour.

The closest either team came to a breakthrough in that half was when Iraq striker Younis Mahmoud shot narrowly wide just before the break.

South Korea stepped up the pace in the second half. Lee Chun-soo volleyed into the side netting in the 70th minute and Yeom Ki-hun missed with his first-time freekick and a rebound from the edge of the area in the last seconds.

Having survived the Korean onslaught, Iraq looked revived in extra time.

Iraq missed the go-ahead goal by an inch late in the first period of extra time when Hawar Mulla's shot from goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae's fingertip deflection hit the near post and Kim Jin-kyu cleared it off his line.

Ahmed Menajed created a chance in the second period of extra time as Lee rushed forwards, but the cross was poor and missed Younis Mahmoud in good position.

South Korea faced its second penalty in four days, but where it succeeded in the quarterfinal over Iran, it failed against Iraq.

After the game, coach Pim Verbeek said he had already decided on his future, but would not reveal it publicly for a few days.

"We didn't create enough, but we tried everything," Verbeek said.

"We were attacking, attacking, attacking and waiting for the counterattack that didn't come.

"Let us say we had an exciting Asian Cup. Three days ago everything was fantastic, today we are very, very disappointed."

Iraq topped Group A following a 3-1 win over pre-tournament favorite Australia and reached its first Asian Cup semifinal since 1976 with a comfortable 2-0 win over Vietnam at Bangkok on Saturday.

That ended a run of three consecutive quarterfinal defeats for the Iraqis at the continental championship.

The South Koreans, World Cup semifinalists in 2002, have not reached a final at the Asian Cup since losing the 1988 decider to Saudi Arabia on penalties.

South Korea won the first two editions but have been unable to add another title since 1960.