South Korea shocks Portugal with 2-1 victory, qualifies for knockouts
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Doha: Hwang Hee-chan's injury-time goal gave outsider South Korea a surprising 2-1 victory over Portugal in the Group H match of the FIFA World Cup, enabling them to advance to the knockout round of the competition.
The Koreans finished in second place in their group on Friday at the Education City Stadium, trailing only the group's top seeds Portugal, who had already advanced to the round of 16 before playing the South Koreans.
Portugal topped the group with seven points, South Korea was second with four, Uruguay was third with four, and Ghana was last with three.
Portugal had taken an early lead in the very 5th minute through Ricardo Horta but the Koreans equalised 22 minutes later with Kim Young-Gwon finding the back of the net, IANS reported.
The teams went into the half-time break tied at one-all.
There were no goals thereafter till Hee-chan announces himself as a new sporting hero as his stoppage time goal put South Korea through to the next round and was greeted with a rising crescendo of noise from the South Korean fans.
In the Uruguay-Ghana tie, the African side lost 2-0, but despite the win, Uruguay could not make it to the next stage as the Asian side pipped them to the post on a better goal difference.
In the other thrilling game on Friday, Ghana's Andre Ayew missed a penalty before Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored a brace in the first half.
The South Koreans scripted the second big shock in two days by Asian teams with Japan having defeated Spain on Wednesday to make it to the next round as group leaders.
The Koreans, however, finished second and it was only the third time they are making it to the Round of 16 in eleven World Cup appearances.
Portugal goes through to the last 16 as Group H winners and will meet Serbia, Switzerland, or Cameroon. South Korea's reward for finishing second is an appointment with Brazil.
The 15 teams have already qualified for the knockout stage with South Korea joining Japan, Spain, Morocco, Croatia, Argentina, Poland, Australia, Portugal, Brazil, England, France, the Netherlands, Senegal and USA, the last and final team will be decided in Friday's group matches with Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon vying for one spot from Group G.