Wednesday 7th July 2010 - Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban - Att. 60,960
Referee: Viktor Kassai (Hungary)
LINEUPS:
South Korea (451): Ryong, Ri, Pyo, Jin, LJ Soo, Yueng, Woo, Hun, Young (Yeoul 70'), PJ Sung, Yong (Gook 62')
Japan (433): Kawashima, Komano, Nagatomo (Uchida 86'), Nakazawa, Tanaka, Abe, Endo, Hasebe (Konno 62'), Honda, Okubo, Matsui (Inamoto 77')
With Hyung suspended Korea opted for Kim Dong Jin as his replacement in defence while Japan had a full lineup. The opening ten minutes saw both teams sizing up their opponents and Japan was the first to take a chance when Endo intercepted a ball and ran past the defence into the box before Ryong pushed his shot onto the post and away.
South Korea then hit the target on a free kick. Park Ji Sung received a pass from Hun before Marcus Tulio Tanaka crashed into him; Kawashima at full stretch to keep the game goalless. The next twenty minutes couldn't go by fast enough with no action to speak of, but South Korea had the next goalscoring opportunity through Young who headed the ball wide after Woo put in a fine run and chip for the striker to get onto.
The second half started with Ryong pulling out a great save on a direct free kick and Endo heading well wide on a Nakazawa cross. The hour mark came and went and with it the first goal of this semifinal. A lapse in focus from Park Ji Sung gave Yasuhito Endo the opportunity to intercept his crossfield ball, move forward a little, and send the ball flying into the top corner from thirty yards.
Three minutes later and Honda wasted his chance to double Japan's lead by heading the ball straight at Ryong while a later shot by Konno was sent over the bar. Park Ji Sung was eager to make up for his earlier mistake and some great play ended at the feet of Yeom Ki Hun who ran out of room before he could take his shot.
The finale came with Japan celebrating a second goal to cement their place in the World Cup final, Tanaka following up to curl it into the corner after Konno had his shot saved the goalies legs.
South Korea 0 - 2 Japan
Goalscorers:
JPN Endo 61'
JPN Tanaka 90'
Discipline:
JPN Tanaka 13'
KOR PJ Sung 13'
KOR Jin 48'
Man of the Match:
JPN Yoshito Okubo
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