They started the first half at speed and following a free kick from the right in the fourth minute were awarded a penalty when Francisco Coco, who had just been cautioned, and Christian Panucci both pulled down Korean players lining up for the ball. However, Ahn Jung-hwan struck the free kick way too softly allowing Gianuluigi Buffon to push it wide for a corner.

Showing no intimidation, Korea matched the Italians and settled down into the game, seemingly unfazed by the missed penalty. In a balanced first half, Italy were the first to strike when Christian Vierri was left loosely marked in the box as a corner kick came in allowing him to nod the ball home in the 18th minute.

Both sides entered into a midfield battle to control the play with little further to trouble either goalkeeper, until the 36th minute when Ahn turned brilliantly in the area to lose his defender, but shot high and wide. Italy then came close when Damiano Tomassi dribbled into the box only to have Lee Woon-jae come out and smother the shot, which his defense then cleared.

Korea had the next chance after Cristano Zanetti brought Ahn down outside the area, but the attacker's free kick was deflected wide of Buffon's left post for a corner. The resultant kick saw Coco injured as he was apparently struck by a teammate and with his face streaming blood went off to get treatment.

Seeking to take advantage of an extra man, Korea piled on the pressure with Lee Young-pyo having a shot on goal, which Buffon collected. However they were unable to hit the target and after two minutes of injury time the referees closed the half with Italy leading 1:0.

Team Korea opened the second half attacking, winning several free kicks from an Italian defense that at times looked a little panicky, but shots by Ahn and Lee failed to reach the mark. Italy counterattacked with a close range volley by Alessandro Del Piero, which was deflected into touch.

Another shot by Ahn from an indirect free kick had everybody beaten, but went over the bar in the 60th minute as Korea continued to take the game to the Italians. Both Kim Tae-yoo and Del Piero were substituted two minutes later with Hwang Sun-ho and Gennaro Gatussi coming on in their place.

Lee Chun-soo then came on for an injured Kim Nam-il, as with pressure mounting Ahn pulled a good cross down in the Italian box, but failed to get a shot off as he was closed down. Shots followed by Totti and Vieri for Italy, both whistled wide as defenders narrowed their angles.

A corner for Korea in the 75th minute led to a break away attack by the Italians with Vieri winning a corner, which the Korean defense cleared. The home teams forwards kept probing the Italian defense, but failed to make any headway until a cross in led to a goalmouth scramble that was narrowly cleared.

Vieri tested Lee in the 81st with a scorching low shot, which the keeper managed to hold onto, followed by action at the other end with Buffon plucking down a free kick.

Cha Du-ri came on for Hong Myung-bo and there then followed three crosses in quick succession that no Korean player could latch onto and finally Buffon closed out the play.

Italy then launched an offensive winning a corner, which resulted in Zanetti firing wildly over the bar. Just as all hope was seemingly it for the Koreans, a closely worked move brought a cross into the Italian box which was fumbled by Panucci and Seol Ki-hyun drove home for a deserved equalizer.

Almost as fast Vieri was left loose at the other end only to fire over the top in front of an open goal. Korea came straight back looking for a winner with Cha pulling off a spectacular, on target overhead shot to see it gathered by Buffon. This was followed by a shot by Seol, open on the left, which he hit into the side netting seconds before full time whistle blew, signaling extra time would have to be played for a "golden goal."

Extra time started with a run by Vieri, but a poor cross was easily intercepted and sent Korea into the Italian half, where a flurry of corners had the Europeans worried. Italy came back winning their own corner, which led to a throw in and a high cross safely gathered by Lee.

Korea commenced some unrelenting pressure winning three corners in succession, followed by a free kick on goal, which Buffon pushed round the post for a fourth corner and another shot the Italian keeper managed to hold onto. Totti then began a run into the Korean penalty area and went down, but this proved to be his undoing as following a previous caution he was expelled for simulation just before the end of the first period.

Right off from the start Korea began to press looking for the elusive winner, but a through ball failed to find Ahn and a free kick from the counter attack ended in an offside decision against Vieri.

A cross in 112th found three Koreans open, but Hwang headed straight at Buffon. The Italians immediately counterattacked once more and only Lee's reflexes stopped Gattuso from scoring; he then gathered Vieri's shot from the resultant corner.

And then it happened, a speculative cross found Ahn in the box, and he finally buried the ball past Buffon, putting Korea through to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup. Team Korea now will face Spain on June 22 in their first ever playoffs.

(Chris Price, chris@chosun.com )