WORLD CUP NEWS

World Cup Third Place Game: Turkey 3-2 South Korea, Suker fastest goal in W.C. history, Koreans meltdown in final match after sterling overall performance in the cup, and more… June 29, 2002 - STM Staff

Turkey 3-2 South Korea
Daeju, South Korea

Who would have through tat Turkey and South Korea would be playing for the numbers three and four spots in the World Cup standings just one month ago. Yet, here we are none-the-less, left pondering and incredible World Cup that saw the likes of South Korea, Turkey, the United States and Senegal turn the footballing world on its ear.

The Koreans looked primed to make a grand exit from the World Cup with a win over Turkey in the third place game, but the Turks has other plans in mind.

A defensive plunder of monstrous portion by South Korean defender Hong Myung Bo inside 13 seconds opened the door wide open for Turkish forward Hakan Sukur (InterMilan) to score his first goal of the World Cup, shocking and silencing the packed house of Koreans fans. Sukur's goal bested Vaklav Masek (Czech) who scored 15 seconds in against Mexico in 1962.

Korea answered back in fine fashion in the ninth minute when Lee Eul Yong scored on s a superb free kick. He bent the ball over the top of the wall into the upper near post 90. An incredible strike by the young midfielder.

Ilhan Mansiz then announced his arrival on the world's stage with goals in the 13th and 32nd minutes, his third and fourth of the World Cup. -- For Korea, perhaps, in the end, the pressure became too much and the mental concentration exhausting, not to mention the playing of the game itself. Needless to say, the Koreans did not look their normal confident selves, especially in the back where they look shaky and porous.

As with every game in this tournament though, the fans began singing even louder minutes later, urging their heroes on victory. A victory, that in the end, would never come.

Turkey ran out 3-2 winners over the South Koreans on the day, but the Koreans fans went home happy when scored late goal to bring the home side within one and to a more respectable 3-2 scoreline. Song Chong Gug scored in stoppage time to draw the visitors within one, but more importantly the goal ignited the 68,000 plus Korean fans one more time.

After the match, the two teams traded jerseys in traditional fashion, but then joined hands and saluted the four corners of the stadium arm in arm as brothers. It was a beautiful moment, and all together the reason why the World Cup is so glorious. Two disparate nations such as Turkey and South Korea join arm-in-arm to play soccer and celebrate together.

South Korea coach Gus Hiddink worked miracles with his basically unknown side, and has put Asian football on the map like never before. South Korea consistently played and attacking and exciting brand of football highlighted by the implementation of the classic Dutch 3-4- 3 (total football) system.

Similar praise goes to the Turkish manager and his players, who performed well above expectations, making it to their first ever semifinal appearance in the World Cup. The Turkish players were bit more well know than their Asian counterparts, but you can be sure the every big club in Europe now know who Mansiz and Sukur not to mention South Korea's Seoul and Bo. Household names they are, but quality footballers the lot of em'.