Korean look to freshen for soccer tilt at Iraq

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 23 (AFP): South Korea's elation at staying alive in the Asian Cup has been tempered by only two days' recovery from their draining two-hour win over Iran on penalties.
The Koreans, bidding for their first tournament success since 1960, have to regroup for Wednesday's semi-final with Iraq and a crack at the July 29 final in Jakarta.
The big task for Dutch coach Pim Verbeek is to get his players mentally and physically refreshed for the looming battle with a side who count Australia among their tournament scalps so far.
Verbeek, who was the assistant coach under Guus Hiddink when the Koreans stormed to the last four of the World Cup five years ago, demanded his players not look too far ahead in the tournament.
"The players have done well but we have still won nothing yet," Verbeek said.
"We have reached the semi-final but that is still nothing. We have to go to the final and then try to win the Cup."
South Korea slogged it out with three-time champions Iran in the rain and prevailed on penalties 4-2 in the shoot-out on Sunday after both teams had failed to find the net in 120 minutes' football.
Iraq no doubt enjoyed the two teams knocking each other around in the extended contest at the Bukit Jalil stadium here, a day after they accounted for Vietnam 2-0 in their Bangkok quarter-final.
Verbeek was gratified by the mental toughness and physical strength of his players to tough it out with the hardened Iranians in the winner-take-all battle.
Korea's hero was 34-year-old goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae, who saved the efforts from Mehdi Mahdavikia and Rassoul Khatibi in the shoot-out to claim victory.