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Defying All Odds

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South Korean coach Guus Hiddink said his team's unprecedented achievement was "so outrageous, it's almost without limits.'' The victory followed a 2-1, come-from-behind upset of Italy in overtime in the second round.

"I cannot describe how I am feeling. I am so happy for the boys. I think now it is a complete dream,'' Hiddink said. "I think more dreams have come true now.''

It was a bitter loss for Spain, which was in its 11th World Cup. The team had several excellent scoring opportunities late in the game, hitting the post on one and having a goal disallowed on a questionable call by the linesman, who ruled the ball had crossed the end line.

Spain had been considered one of the tournament favorites after winning its first four games -- against Slovenia, Paraguay, South Africa and Ireland -- a feat it had never achieved.

But co-host South Korea, one of the biggest surprises of a World Cup full of upsets, had other ideas, playing solid defense and scoring on all five of its penalty kicks.

Besides Hong, the penalty-kick goals were scored by Hwang Sun-hong, Park Ji-sung, Seol Ki-hyeon and Ahn Jung-hwan. For Spain, Fernando Hierro, Ruben Baraja and Xavi Hernandez scored. The team did not take its last kick.

When Sanchez approached the ball to take his penalty shot, he hesitated for a moment, then tried to place it in the right side of the goal. Lee Woon-jae guessed correctly, diving to his left to punch out the ball.

Moments later, Hong, the South Korean captain, sealed the victory with his right-footed shot into the right corner of the net and then sprinted to the sideline, jumping and throwing his fist into the air. The 42,000 red-clad fans erupted in joy for the home team, screaming, singing and jumping up and down.

The players took a victory lap around the field, holding flags over their heads. Hiddink and his staff linked arms near the dugout.

Then, as the whole team danced in a long line, Hiddink carried two game balls and, giving the thumbs-up sign, walked slowly over to one end of the field and booted them into the crowd.

For a while, it looked as if the few Spanish supporters would be the ones celebrating.

In the 10th minute of overtime, Fernando Morientes almost scored the game-winner when his right-footed drive sailed past Lee and hit left post.

Morientes, starting as the lone striker for Spain in the absence of injured teammate Raul Gonzalez, had scored three goals in four previous games but couldn't get the one his country desperately needed.

Lee Chun-soo had two shots in extra time and set up a chance for Hwang in the 110th minute, but the veteran striker missed his timing and bounced a weak shot to goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Choi Jin-Cheul jumped high to meet a free kick in the 119th minute but didn't get enough force into a header from close range on the final chance before the shootout.

The Spaniards had goals disallowed in each half of regulation time and a third in overtime. Morientes looked as if he had scored from close-range off a pass from Sanchez, who was ruled to have stepped out as he dribbled the ball along the endline. Replays showed the ball never fully crossed the line.

The first disallowed goal came when Enrique Romero was ruled offside just before halftime. Baraja angled a header into the left corner of the net five minutes after the break, but that goal also was disallowed because Morientes was offside.

When Hiddink took over the South Korean team 18 months ago, it was struggling. Now it is one victory from the World Cup final.

Hiddink guided his native Netherlands to the semifinals four years ago in France and he is now the only coach to take two nations to the semis.

"First we would like to have a little glass of champagne now and prepare for the next game. What comes tomorrow is tomorrow,'' he said.

"I am so proud of those guys. These fans are fantastic, without any violence, they are so fantastic.''

After an uncharacteristically slow start, the buzzing South Korean offense moved into full swing, sparking a booming chorus of "Dae Han Min Guk'' -- "Republic of Korea'' -- from the crowd every time the home team had possession.

Park Ji-Sung had South Korea's first real shot on goal in the 67th minute, lashing a powerful right-footed shot that Casillas deflected around his right post with a diving punch.

Spain then started to retake control. Hierro's freekick in the 83rd minute was punched clear by Lee Woon-jae and Ruben Baraja popped a header onto the roof of the net a minute later.

Hiddink went on the all-out attack by substituting defender Kim Tae-young for Hwang, who ended up scoring the first penalty-kick goal.

South Korean President Kim Dae-jung was in the crowd. During the national anthem, South Koreans raised a banner at one end thanking the Netherlands for Hiddink.

White placards held over the sea of red shirts spelled "Pride of Asia.'' South Korea had been only the second Asian team to make the last eight at a World Cup, repeating the performance of North Korea in 1966.

In two previous head-to-heads in the World Cup finals, Spain won 3-1 at Udine, Italy, in 1990, and the Koreans forced a 2-2 draw in Dallas four years later.