Spain players console Joaquin (Allsport).
IRURETA - SPAIN EXIT A SHAME
Click here to place your World Cup bets!
Click here for Spain team section
Click here for teams index
Click here for latest World Cup headlines
Click here for World Cup photo gallery
Click here for World Cup Bettingzone
Spain, like Italy before them, have been left to
bemoan South Korean determination and indifferent refereeing.
Jose Antonio Camacho's men are on their way home from the World Cup after
losing a penalty shoot-out to the co-hosts with Real Betis's Joaquin the only
one to miss.
But the Spaniards were angry after debatable decisions appeared to cost them
victory.
Fernando Morientes had perhaps most cause for complaint after his 'goal' was
disallowed with the assistant referee ruling that the ball had earlier gone out
of play.
However, television replays showed that Joaquin appeared to keep the ball in
before crossing to the Real Madrid striker.
"I think the linesman was wrong, even though the Koreans stopped on hearing
the whistle, I don't think they could have done anything to have stopped it,"
said Deportivo La Coruna boss Javier Irureta.
"Spain played well and I think that overall they were better, therefore it's
a shame we have to go home in this way.
"Maybe today we missed Raul, in this kind of game we have dominated we missed
the clarity in attack he gives us."
Despite the disappointment, Rayo Vallecano chief Fernando Vazquez was relieved
that Spain at least looked like contenders after years of underachievement.
"It was Spain's best game in the World Cup, they fitted the idea Camacho had
of the team and they put Korea in their place," said Vazquez.
"If there is anything to take from this, it is that we have defined a style
of play and it is a way for us to go forward."
|
