green mercenary

Chapter 548
At 6:22 on the evening of June 19, the fourth match of the World Cup quarter-finals was played at the Gwangju Stadium in South Korea.

In the quarter-finals, because the South Korean team eliminated Italy in some disgraceful ways, many European fans shared the same hatred and asked the matador to give the Koreans a good look.

In this game, Spain's two major strikers were unable to start.

Raul missed practice earlier in the week with a groin injury.He resumed minor training before the game, and Camacho didn't want to take him at risk.

And Tristan from Deportivo has not recovered from his injury and is also sitting on the bench.

Veteran Nadal and captain Hierro, who has regained the starting line-up, partnered at center back. Romero and 21-year-old Joaquin replaced Juanfran and Enrique, playing left back and right halfback respectively.

The South Korean team's starting lineup has not changed. The only thing to watch is that Kim Tae Young, who has a nose injury, played wearing a protective mask.

Spain scored 4 goals and conceded 10 goals in 5 games. The number of goals scored ranked third among the top 32, showing a strong attack power, and at the same time there are certain hidden dangers in the defense.

South Korea scored 6 goals and tied for fifth among the top 32, showing a strong attack power, while the good result of conceding only 2 goals shows that their defense is extremely solid.

The number of short passes in Spain ranks first among the top 32, and the number of offsides ranks first with Brazil and Italy, which shows that the Spanish midfielder is strong and focuses on control and advancement.

South Korea made more tackles than Spain and received twice as many yellow cards, suggesting they fought more physically.

两队历史交战战绩为：1990年世界杯，西班牙队3比1胜韩国队；1994年世界杯，西班牙队2比2平韩国队。

Spain have reached the World Cup finals ten times, compared to South Korea's five.

The odds offered by the Asian handicap for this campaign is that Spain has a half-ball handicap, which has a slight advantage.The winning-losing tie odds of European bookmakers echoed the Asian handicap very well. Both William Hill and Ladbrook had Spanish hemisphere handicap, which was very consistent with Asian bookmakers.

After the opening, the South Korean team took the initiative by actively fighting, while Spain was more cautious and paid attention to protecting its backcourt.

In the 11th minute, Hierro shoveled the ball out of the baseline in front of Ahn Jung-hwan, Song Jong-guk took a corner kick from the right, and Baraja made a header in the penalty area to make a clearance.In the 13th minute, Jin Nanyi's left high ball passed into the penalty area, and Xue Qixuan did not jump high enough to reach it.

Gradually, Spain gradually regained the initiative on the field.Although the Matador controlled the rhythm of the game, the Korean fans were very vocal.

In the 38th minute, Hierro sprained his neck when he and Xue Qixuan competed for the top, and entered the game after being treated by the team doctor.

Seeing the bruises on Hierro's neck, Spanish fans recalled the Blues who were beaten badly by South Korean players in the quarter-finals.Italy, known for its defense, was kicked into that kind of virtue by the Koreans. How could the elegant matador survive?

The fans were nervous, they knew that Hierro's injury was just the beginning.

In the second half, neither side made substitutions, and the score was still 0-0.

Minutes later, a dramatic moment occurred.

The Spanish team got a free kick in the frontcourt. No. 11 Pedro took a curve ball and flew straight to the penalty area of ​​the South Korean team. No. 4 Helguera jumped up to fight for the top with No. 7 central defender Kim Tae-young of the South Korean team.

Own goals!
But before the Spanish players had time to cheer and celebrate, the referee Gondor from Egypt blew his whistle to indicate that the ball was invalid.

Invalid ball?Not only the Spanish players were fooled, but the fans and commentators were also fooled.

What kind of reason is it that he can be sentenced to be invalid for an own goal?
Judging from the replay of the post-match video, at the moment when the free kick was taken, many players from both sides competed for positions in the penalty area of ​​the South Korean team, and there was no sign of offside; while the ball flew to the penalty area, Helgra and Baraja, who were fighting for the top in the middle, jumped with Kim Tae Young at the same time, and there was no obvious physical contact between the three.

Judging from the final gesture of the referee, the ball was finally judged as a foul by the offensive side, which is somewhat inexplicable.

Maybe it was because someone scored a goal, and the South Korean team was a little panicked and annoyed.The next South Korean team deliberately accelerated the pace, but the effect was not great, because Spain still firmly controlled the midfield.

In the 58th minute, Hiddink was dissatisfied with the Spanish player's tackle. He took off his suit and went to the sidelines to protest. The fourth official smiled to dissuade him.Everyone can see that the foul scale of South Korean players is much higher than that of Spain!

In the 61st minute, Hiddink replaced Yoo Sang-chul with Lee Cheon-soo.

The South Korean team fought harder after the substitution, the atmosphere in the stands was also mobilized, and the pressure in front of the Spanish goal suddenly increased.

In the 67th minute, Li Tianxiu received an overhead ball and inserted it into the right side of the penalty area to make a pass. Hierro used his left thigh to pad the ball out of the baseline in the small penalty area.Song Jong-guk took a corner kick from the right side, Lee Cheon-soo shot from the right side of the penalty area and hit Puyol on the back, the ball bounced to the left side of the penalty area, Park Ji-sung volleyed from a small angle and went straight to the near corner, Casillas performed bravely and saved the ball out of the baseline with one hand.

Seeing that the situation is not good, Camacho also made adjustments, replacing Depedro with Mendieta, intending to strengthen the blocking ability on the left.

The South Korean team's onslaught was only for a while, and after ten minutes, Spain basically resolved the opponent's onslaught.

In the 80th minute, Enrique replaced Belleron, Raul was still on the bench, and Spain had one substitution left.

In the 90th minute, veteran striker Huang Sunhong replaced defender Kim Tae Young.The South Korean team took a free kick from the right, Li Tianxiu shot a low shot from the front of the penalty area, Casillas threw the ball to the left and confiscated it.

In the end, the two sides could only enter the golden ball overtime.

In the 93rd minute, the Spanish team launched a quick move from the right, assisting No. 22 Joaquin who dribbled the ball to the bottom line and then passed to the back point. No. 9 Morientes, who followed up and outflanked, jumped high and scored a beautiful header.

"This is a goal that killed the game!" The Spanish commentator roared excitedly.

But before his long note ended, the assistant referee on the sidelines raised the flag high, indicating that the ball had already passed the baseline.

However, judging from the post-match video, the ball did not cross the baseline before the Joaquin ball was passed. This ball was an obvious misjudgment.

The referee's continuous misjudgments made some Korean fans in the stands feel guilty.Everyone can see that this game is simply too wrong!

In the 101st minute, Puyol threw a ball into the sideline from the right. Morientes volleyed with his right foot 10 meters away from the goal. The ball hit the far post and bounced back into the field. Mendieta shot high from a small angle. Spain once again missed the golden opportunity to end the game.

In the 111th minute, Morientes' single-handed goal was once again misjudged for offside.Morientes opened his hand to vent his dissatisfaction with the assistant referee and was given a yellow card.

After 120 minutes, the two sides entered a brutal penalty shootout.

But this time, the young St. Cassie did not show his god-like luck again. Although he sometimes threw in the right direction, he missed a goal.

After the first three rounds, the two sides battled to a 3-3 tie.

In the fourth round, Joaquin's shot was weak and was blocked by Li Yunzai from the left.

In the fifth round, Hong Mingfu succeeded in hitting the upper right corner of the goal.

In the end, the South Korean team eliminated the Spanish Matador with a score of 5 to 3 amidst "all cheers" and successfully advanced to the semi-finals.

Immediately after the game, Xinhua News Agency published a headline: "Spain lost to South Korea on penalties 3-5. After the "Golden Ball" was blown, the matador died crying blood!"

(End of this chapter)