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Germany Defeats S. Korea 1-0

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Ballack's goal, his third of the tournament, stunned the cheering, chanting, singing crowd of about 65,000. The red-clad "Red Devils" fans then resumed their singing for the home team, hoping they could will South Korea to yet another upset victory over a European power.

South Korea's best chance was Lee Chun-soo's curling 15-yard shot in the eighth minute, which was batted away by goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, who dived to his right.

The crowd groaned when South Korea's last best chance, Park Ji-sung's shot in second-half injury time, went well high and wide right.

Kahn, regarded as among the world's top goalkeepers, had another stellar game. So did midfielder Carsten Ramelow, whose runs upfield were among the few exciting moments for a German team that has done just enough to advance through the World Cup. Kahn has been the biggest reason, allowing just one goal in six games.

Extended to 117 minutes before defeating three-time champion Italy and then outlasting Spain in a penalty-kick shootout, South Korea could not muster any great scoring chances in the second half.

Regular forwards Ahn Jung-hwan and Seol Ki-hyeon were benched by South Korea coach Guus Hiddink, who started 21-year-old Korea University forward Cha Doo-ri and Hwang Sun-hong, in his fourth World Cup.

Cha, born in Germany, is the son of Cha Bum-kun, South Korea's 1986 World Cup captain, who scored 98 goals in the German Bundesliga.

Korea also was missing central defender Kim Nam-il, who has an ankle injury.

Germany started midfielder Dietmar Hamman, who had been questionable because of a knee injury.

At the end of the game, the South Korean players seemed stunned -- but for just a moment. They quickly headed to exchange jerseys with the Germans in a show of good sportsmanship.

The fans, many who had hoped to go on to Japan this weekend, remained on their feet, singing and chanting as South Korea's players went to each of the four sides of the stadium, lined up together, and saluted them.

After two overcast days that marked the start of South Korea's rainy season, the skies cleared for the game, played on the 52nd anniversary of the start of the Korean War.

Seoul World Cup Stadium, beside a 663-foot water spay on the Han River, was packed long before game time on the cool summer night.

Coming in, South Korea was hoping to just get to the second round and do better than Japan, its co-host. But even though the South Koreans failed to reach the final, the drama of their run and the accomplishment of the unheralded team will long be remembered as one of the outstanding and unexpected performances in World Cup history.