High flying Koreans have strolled into the quarter-finals with their hundred per cent penalty kicks ability as they mauled Mexico after surviving a 120 minutes fight.
The young Mexicans scored first during the closing minute of the first half through Guillermo Madrigal and went into the break feeling upbeat. In this half the teams were very cautious and relied mostly on counter attacks.
However several goals attempts were not successful. But in the second half Korea showed more tenacity and pushed forward for goals.
The Mexicans drew first blood in the round-of-16 affair, scoring through Guillermo Madrigal in the fading moments of the first half. The Koreans, though, roared back to level 1-1 in second-half stoppage time and, after a goalless extra-time period, the East Asians hit home all five of their spot kicks to eliminate the 2005 world champions Mexicans.
The equalizer finally came after several pressing attacks on the Mexican. Kim Dong Jin, a substitute hammered home the leveler inside the six yard box to increase the playtime to extra time. Both team, however failed to pull in another goal until the added time expired leading to a shootout, which the Koreans kept their nerves down to triumph 5-3