Park and Petit battle for possession (Allsport).

Korea's Park Ji Sung became an instant national hero with the goal which saw the joint hosts qualify for the second round - and ended Portugal's participation in the World Cup.

Two reds cards for Joao Pinto and Beto gave Portugal a mountain to climb - and Korea used their numerical advantage to full effect.

Portugal, overwhelming favourites at the start of the tournament to top Group D, followed France and Argentina as the latest big name to tumble out of the World Cup at the first stage.

Korea now face Italy in the second round, with runners-up USA playing Mexico despite the Americans losing to Poland in the other Group D game.

This was a unforgettable occasion, with 50,000 red-shirted Koreans singing in unison and cheering every positive move by their side, however small, to the rafters.

The yell which erupted when Park scored midway through the second half must have been heard in Tokyo.

Apart from that, the football was generally forgettable until nine-man Portugal staged a desperate late bid to rescue their tournament, leaving gaping gaps at the back.

The match kicked off amid deafening noise and with Korea looking strong in defence and Seol Ki Hyeon a tricky customer up front, Portugal were on the back foot for much of the opening period.

In the early exchanges Lee Young Pyo upped the crowd volume a couple of notches when he flashed a shot a couple of feet over from distance, then Yoo Sang Chul pulled a low left-footed shot wide of a post from 25 yards.

Portugal were struggling to create anything positive, and with Korea hunting in packs in midfield, put their faith in counter-attacks.

Their task was made much tougher after Pinto was red-carded for jumping in high on Park Ji Sung in the 27th minute. Pinto rounded on Argentinian referee Angel Sanchez after being shown the card, and only the intervention of some of his team-mates prevented the incident from becoming nasty.

At one stage Portugal captain Fernando Couto had his hands on the referee's face, though it seemed he was merely trying to calm the situation.

Towards the end of the first half, Luis Figo finally contrived an opportunity for Portugal. Figo's through-ball found Pauleta sprinting through the middle, but the man who hit a hat-trick in Portugal's last game was hopelessly wide of the mark from the edge of the box.

Early in the second half, Seol sent a header from a free-kick six inches past the top corner of the Portuguese goal.

Some excellent build-up play by Ahn Jung Hwan sent Seol scurrying to the byline from where he curled over a cross that bleached-blond midfielder Yoo met on the leap, but again couldn't hit the target.

From a Figo corner, Pauleta ducked down to flick a header over his marker and almost over Lee Woon Jae, but the Korea keeper just managed to tip the ball away from goal.

In the 66th minute, Portugal were down to nine men when Beto was cautioned for a late lunge on Lee Young Pyo and, having been booked earlier, was sent off.

Four minutes later, Korea took the lead with a splendid individual goal by Park, a 21-year-old midfielder who plays his club football in Japan.

Park, lurking on the corner of the six-yard box, controlled a 30-yard pass on his chest, hooked the ball over Sergio Conceicao and struck it on the half-volley through Baia's legs to score.

Substitute Nuno Gomes had a wonderful chance to stab home an equaliser from close range, but the ball got stuck under his feet and Lee Woon Jae was able to save.

Baia made three tremendous blocks, from Song Chong Gug, Ahn and Seol, before Sergio Conceicao struck the inside of the post with a scissors-kick with a minute remaining.

Portugal's nine men collapsed in utter desolation at the final whistle as in Incheon and Seoul, fireworks erupted into the sky.

Teams

Portugal: Baia, Costa, Beto, Jorge (Xavier 73), Couto, Figo, Bento, Petit (Nuno Gomes 77), Sergio Conceicao, Pinto, Pauleta (Andrade 68).

Subs Not Used: Barbosa, Caneira, Capucho, Frechaut, Nelson, Ricardo, Rui Costa, Sousa, Viana.

Sent Off: Pinto (27), Beto (66).

Booked: Beto, Costa.

South Korea: Woon-Jae Lee, Jin-Cheul Choi, Hong, Tae-Young Kim, Nam-Il Kim, Yoo, Yong-Pyo Lee, Park, Song, Seol, Ahn (Chun-Soo Lee 90).

Subs Not Used: Cha, En-Sung Choi, Sung-Young Choi, Tae-Uk Choi, Yong-Soo Choi, Hwang, Hyun, Byung-Ji Kim, Eul-Young Lee, Min-Sung Lee, Yoon.

Booked: Tae-Young Kim, Seol, Nam-Il Kim, Ahn.

Goals: Park 70.

Att: 50,239

Ref: Angel Sanchez Ruzafa (Argentina).