Remembering Korea-Japan 2002: The Tournament Begins

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After a divisive bidding campaign, FIFA awarded the hosting of the 2002 World Cup to both Korea Republic and Japan, ensuring Asia’s first tournament broke new ground. Even after the co-hosting decision was taken, the FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan 2002 travelled a bumpy road before the action finally kicked off. Here’s Part Two of The Asian Game’s look back at that historic tournament.

The boos rang out loud around Seoul World Cup Stadium as FIFA president Sepp Blatter stood up to address the crowd in the moments before defending champions France would take on Senegal in the opening game of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Much had changed in the six years – to the day – since Korea Republic and Japan had been awarded the co-hosting rights to Asia’s first-ever men’s World Cup, with former general secretary Blatter replacing his old boss Havelange at the helm of the game’s governing body in 1998.

The Swiss, who had served as general secretary under Havelange for 17 years before his election victory in Paris, had successfully seen off a challenge to his presidency at the FIFA Congress days before, defeating Issa Hayatou for a second term in charge. But in Seoul it had not been a popular victory.

Hayatou had been backed by Dr. Chung Mong-joon, the man who successfully earned the Koreans a share of the World Cup hosting rights with the Japanese, and as a result Blatter was persona non grata in the eyes of many among the home crowd.

It was a reaction that reflected a build-up that was not without its issues. Concerns grew in the months leading up to kickoff that some of the 20 stadia to be constructed for the tournament might not be ready while there were doubts over whether Asian representatives – beyond the hosts – would be involved at all.

While Japan and Korea were guaranteed their spots as co-hosts, the rest of the continent felt short changed by FIFA’s allocation of berths to the Asian Football Confederation at the finals. Where Asia had been represented by a quartet of qualified nations in France four years earlier, only two spots were made available through the preliminaries for the 2002 edition.

A walkout at the FIFA Congress in Los Angeles prior to the Women’s World Cup final in July 1999 signaled the strength of feeling within Asian football over FIFA’s decision and a boycott was only averted when UEFA president Lennart Johansson stepped in to offer a playoff berth from his continent’s allocation.

It was a gesture that ended an embarrassing stand-off between FIFA and the host continent, although Iran’s defeat at the hands of the Republic of Ireland ultimately meant only Saudi Arabia and first-timers China would join the Japanese and Koreans at the finals.

While matters of a political and infrastructural nature were eventually overcome, one issue that lingered in the background throughout the competition was the threat of disruption from east Asia’s notorious wet season.

The FIFA Confederations Cup final between Japan and France 12 months earlier endured a lengthy delay due to a deluge that left the Yokohama International Stadium pitch temporarily flooded and there were concerns of a repeat – or worse – during the World Cup.

The timing of the tournament had already been altered to mitigate as much as possible against such issues, with the finals kicking off on May 31 and due to run until June 30, the earliest date for a World Cup final since 1986.

It was against that backdrop that Asia’s first men’s World Cup kicked off, and from the start it was a festival of shocks and upsets that ultimately ended in a final between a pair of familiar nations.

The tone was set in the opening game. France, who had been imperious on home soil four years earlier before going on to defeat Italy in the final of Euro 2000, went into the tournament as favourites to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cup titles.

Those hopes floundered, however, against a Senegal side coached by Bruno Metsu, who tore into their more illustrious opponents to claim a shock 1-0 win through Papa Bouba Diop’s 30th minute goal. A draw with Uruguay and a loss against Denmark condemned France to an early exit; the team riven by infighting as the players took the first flight home.

France’s group was one of four based in Korea, with China making their debut World Cup appearance in Group C alongside Brazil, Turkey and Costa Rica. Bora Milutinovic’s side had benefited in from the absence of Japan and Korea in qualifying but found the challenge too great at the finals.

The Chinese slumped to three straight defeats as Brazil and Turkey advanced to join Denmark and Senegal from Group A and Spain and Paraguay out of Group B while Group D, featuring co-hosts Korea, had more shocks in store.

In five previous World Cup appearances the Koreans had never managed to secure a victory but under Guus Hiddink there was a quiet optimism a dynamic side featuring a strong blend of youth and experience could make an impact.

The draw had handed the Koreans a potentially tricky group, featuring a Portugal side led by Luis Figo – then arguably the best player in the world – as well as Poland and the United States.

Goals from veteran duo Hwang Sun-hong and Yoo Sang-chul gave Hiddink’s team the perfect start against Poland before Ahn Jung-hwan’s late effort earned a 1-1 draw with the United States. That left the Koreans needing a result against Figo’s Portugal.

Joao Pinto’s early red card gave the hosts an advantage and, with Song Chung-gug neutering Figo, the Koreans claimed an historic win through Park Ji-sung that took the nation into the knockout rounds for the first time.

Not to be outdone, co-hosts Japan were making waves on home turf in Group H. After fighting back at a cacophonous Saitama Stadium to earn a 2-2 draw with Belgium in their opener, comfortable wins over Russia and Tunisia took Philippe Troussier’s side into the Round of 16 in only the country’s second World Cup appearance.

The Japanese were joined in the next round by Group E winners Germany, who handed Saudi Arabia an 8-0 thrashing in their opening clash at Sapporo Dome, and runners-up Ireland while Sweden and England advanced from Group F. Mexico and Italy qualified from Group G.

Troussier’s side had impressed in the group phase and hopes were high for further progress ahead of their meeting with Turkey in Miyagi Stadium. But an early Umit Davala goal on a miserable afternoon left the Japanese flat-footed and Turkey ultimately prevailed.

“Japanese football has taken a giant step forward and by reaching the knockout stage this side has created a legacy for the future,” said Troussier. “But the road ahead will get even tougher and Japan have a lot of work to do if they want to repeat this achievement in four years’ time.

“Maybe you could say Japan hit the wall against Turkey. We felt we had reached our limit. But Japan can close the gap with the top European teams with a little more experience of big international matches.”

To add to Japan’s misery, their co-hosting rivals were about spring one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. Italy looked to be on their way to victory over Hiddink’s team following Christian Vieira’s opener, but Seol Ki-hyun levelled with two minutes remaining and Ahn scored his second of the tournament in extra-time to take Korea through.

That win saw the mood – already more buoyant in Korea than had been the case in Japan – lift further. Millions of red-clad fans poured onto the streets as the Taeguk Warriors entered territory no Asian side had been able to navigate since DPR Korea’s historic quarter-final run in 1966.

In their path stood Spain, who had defeated the Irish on penalties in the previous round and Jose Antonio Camacho’s team would be taken to a shoot-out again. This time the Spanish were not so fortunate, Hong Myung-bo wheeling away to celebrate hitting the winning spot-kick in Gwangju that remarkably took the Koreans into the semi-finals.

For Korean football, this was a dream from which no one wanted to wake. Next in line were four-time champions Germany after Rudi Voller’s side had seen off Paraguay and the United States in the previous two rounds.

Playmaker Michael Ballack had often been the difference for the Germans earlier in the competition, and it was the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder who would ultimately kill the Korean fairytale, hitting the only goal 15 minutes from time.

“We are disappointed at not being there [in the final] but we’ll try to calm down the emotions,” Hiddink said upon his side’s elimination. “The German team were a little bit more experienced on many occasions.

“We can be proud of the boys and what they did not just tonight but especially over the long run of the tournament.

“The expectations in Korea were enormous but not realistic. Earlier in the tournament I tried to keep the pressure away from the team. The team has really come together but you have to keep in mind that they play in the Korean league, which is a second or third class league.”

The Germans went on to face Brazil in the final in Yokohama, where Ronaldo scored twice in the second half as the Inter Milan forward, with his gap-toothed grin and triangular haircut, took his personal tournament tally to eight and the Selecao to a record fifth World Cup title.

“Everything changes,” Ronaldo, who had famously missed the 1998 World Cup final due a late mystery illness, said. “People said Brazilian soccer was decadent and in crisis. But this will prove that Brazil’s soccer is alive. Today we lived a beautiful dream.”

After all the years of rancour and division, the same could finally be said by everyone involved in Asia’s first-ever FIFA World Cup finals.

PHOTO: twitter/FIFA World Cup

Listen to Episode 91 of The Asian Game Podcast as we dissect the saga engulfing Iranian football just months out from the FIFA World Cup.