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Ninety minutes of irrelevance gave way to six decisive minutes when, after a corner kick, the clearance fell at the feet of Heungmin Son.
Fresh from regulation time, the superb Tottenham striker led the solo counterattack across a half-empty field.
For a few moments only he and Palhinha inhabited it.
But Palhinha, who presumes to be tough, loosened up, and instead of overtaking him, he gave ground to him.
Son took advantage of the time given to him by his opponent to wait for Hwang Hee-chan, who arrived to score the winning goal for South Korea, qualifying it for the round of 16 at the expense of Uruguay.
The South American team was left out of the tournament by a goal difference despite winning their last game.
This is Korea, a team that came to Qatar to get into their field and let time go by while their fans scream and Paulo Bento, the coach, looks sadly at the spectacle that he himself has designed.
His plan is to wait, roll the dice in the hope that luck prevents goals against, and risk everything on the mistake of others.
Midfielder Son Heung-min heads the ball during the match against Portugal.
JUNG YEON-JE (AFP)
Portugal, who arrived at the match classified, with more desire to exercise than to compete, took the lead in the fifth minute with an elementary play.
Pass from Pepe to his side, Dalot, who controlled like silk and outwitted Jin-Su before assisting Horta.
The lousy Korean defense did not suggest what was coming.
A long and unsuccessful Portuguese siege, with Cristiano at the helm of a group of players more fond of rhetoric than depth.
Neves, Matheus and Vitinha took too much care of the ball.
Together they gave Korea a margin to speculate.
At the exit of a corner, the unforeseen happened.
An excellent defender from set pieces, Cristiano shrank instead of attacking the center.
The ball hit his shoulder and was served in the six-yard box for Kim Young-gwon to push.
The party slowed down.
Sitting in the armchair in the box, Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, preferred to look at the screen of his mobile phone in search of a better use of the working day.
Down at the foot of the field, Fernando Santos managed the changes so that his boys on the bench could exercise.
He put the best.
Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and William Carvalho took the places of Neves, Cristiano, and Vitinha.
It was then, with Korea completely sunk in their area, that Portugal lost the match.
As the paradoxes of this exotic Cup dictate, a bounced ball illuminated Son, who found himself in an advantageous situation for the first time all afternoon.
He didn't miss it.
Son hadn't done anything remarkable.
Neither does Korea.
Suddenly, she saw herself as a winner and more, classified.
Japanese way.
By surprise.
For the first time in the history of the World Cup, two Asian teams (Korea and Japan) and two African teams (Morocco and Senegal) advance to the round of 16.
Hwang Hee-chan (left) scoring Korea's second goal in the game against Portugal.
ODD ANDERSEN (AFP)
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Classification
Group H | PT | P.J. | PG | PE | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 BY | 6 | 3 | two | 0 | 1 |
two COR | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
3 URU | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
4 GHA | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | two |
Group H | PT | P.J. | PG | PE | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 BY | 6 | 3 | two | 0 | 1 |
two COR | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
3 URU | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
4 GHA | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | two |
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