Uruguay 2-1 South Korea
This, despite Uruguay's quite negative tactics once they had scored, was a good game of football to watch. Luis Suarez notched first after just 8 minutes - a poor attempt at a save by the Korean 'keeper Jung Sung-Ryong from Diego Forlan's cross from the left. Mind you, he was no worse than the 8 defenders who left Saurez unmarked at the back post. As far as Uruguay were concerned, that was it, job done. Fortunately, South Korea are quite an enterprising bunch and it was their endeavour which kept the match bubbling along. In fact they could have taken the lead on just 5 minutes if Park Chu-Young's sumptuous free kick had not hit the post with the 'keeper beaten.
As it was, it was Bolton's Lee Chung-Yong who scored the equaliser on 68 minutes. A poor decision by Muslera in the Uruguayan goal (he came for the ball when he should have stayed on the line) lead directly to the equaliser. After that, it was all about that man Saurez again who won the game with a stunning right foot curler from the edge of the penalty area with just ten minutes left.
So the two times winners are the first team into the quarter finals when they will have a great chance to equal their best finish in 40 years (they were knocked out by eventual winners Brazil at the semi final stage) with a game against either Ghana or the USA. The result is hard on South Korea, but they don't have a player like Suarez in their ranks. As David Coleman didn't quite say, "Goals pay the rent and Saurez does his share."
