Asian Cup 2007
South Korea drew 1-1 with Saudi Arabia in the opening game, with a goal from Choi Sung Kuk, but conceding a penalty kick scored by Yasser Al-Qahtani. Their next game was a disastrous 2-1 defeat to Bahrain. As had been the case in the Saudi game, the Koreans were unable to hold on to a lead, scoring early on through Kim Do Heon, only to be overturned with goals from Salman Isa and Ismaeel Abdullatif. In the final group game, the Koreans defeated host nation Indonesia 1-0 with a goal from Kim Jung Woo. They progressed as the Saudi Arabia defeated Bahrain 4-0 to book the Koreans a quarter-final tie against the Iran.
South Korea defeated Iran in the quarter-finals, 4-2 on penalties, after a 0-0 draw in regulation time. Facing the same Iran team that had gone to the 2006 World Cup, the game was highly competitive for 120 minutes. Fortunately for Korea, veteran goalkeeper Lee Woon Jae, who had starred in South Korea's penalty shootout victory over Spain at the 2002 World Cup, saved the penalties from Iran captain Mehdi Mahdavikia and forward Rasoul Khatibi. Kim Do Heon failed to score, but Lee Chun Soo and substitutes Cho Jae Jin and Kim Sang Sik all succeeded from the spot past Vahid Talebloo, who had been brought on specifically for the shootout. Kim Jung Woo then scored Korea's last penalty to send his nation into the semi-finals.
Korea Republic played the resurgent Republic of Iraq in the semi-finals. Korea created a number of good chances, many of which fell to Lee Chun-Soo; Iraq, led by star striker Younis Mahmoud, also created a number of good chances, including one that hit the post and was cleared off the line by Kim Jin-Kyu. However, Korea were once again unable to break the deadlock after 120 minutes and, for the second time in four days, found themselves in a penalty shootout. Lee Chun-Soo, Cho Jae-Jin, and Lee Dong-Gook converted their penalties, as did their counterparts in the Iraqi side. However, Yeom Ki-Hoon saw his penalty saved by Iraq goalkeeper Noor Sabri; after Ahmad Mnajed converted his spot kick, Kim Jung-Woo's penalty hit the post, meaning that Korea had once again failed to reach the final of the Asian Cup. However, Korea Republic coach Pim Verbeek stated that the tournament was a good experience and exposure for his young and developing team.
Korea played Japan in the third place play-off. They won the game through yet another penalty shootout, their third in the tournament, after Japan was unable to break the deadlock despite playing against a 10 man squad stripped of its entire coaching staff. Pim Verbeek announced his resignation as national manager after the game.
source:wikipedia
