[The first half ends 1-1.]
[Yes, what matters starts now. In many cases, teams have used the 15-minute halftime effectively to turn the game around.]
[That's right. Even though we conceded at the end, our players showed fighting spirit until the very last moment. The game can still be turned around.]
In truth, it was a huge relief that the score remained 1-1.
They had escaped danger by the narrowest margin, and there had been many tense moments.
Just before the end of the first half, they had nearly conceded another goal to David Villa, but the ball struck the post and spared them.
Fortunately, Villa's condition was not particularly good.
Aside from that, Spain had the advantage in nearly every internal aspect of the match.
They dominated possession with 61 percent, and the same was true for shots, shots on target, and corner kicks.
Meanwhile, there had been a total of 13 fouls, with one yellow card each given to Lee Chung-yong and Busquets.
It was a surprisingly mild record for such a fierce match.
Because of that, Heo Sung-soo decided to take advantage of it.
"In the second half, instead of conserving stamina, play more aggressively in physical battles. Do you understand what I mean? From now on, don't rely on stamina. Play smart with your bodies and your heads."
In moments of crisis, they were to commit fouls if necessary, even at the cost of a card.
With about seven minutes left before the second half began, Heo Sung-soo delivered his final words.
"Alright, listen carefully. This is a World Cup semifinal. An opportunity that may never come again in your lifetime. Be prepared to give everything for the team. Run as if you are ready to die here if necessary. No, think of yourselves as already dead. Only that level of determination will win this match. Let's give it everything and create a miracle."
"Yes!"
After Heo Sung-soo left, captain Park Ji-sung spoke in a calm but powerful tone.
"The most important thing is believing that we can win. Do not fear the opponent. With that mindset, I believe we can defeat Spain. Show your mental strength. Believe in yourselves and trust each other as you play. As I said before, that alone is enough for us. Let's believe we can do it. Stay strong, everyone."
"Yes."
"Understood."
After Park Ji-sung finished speaking, Ahn Jung-hwan opened his mouth.
"As you all know, I once missed a penalty in the Round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup. At that time, the only thought in my head during the match was that I should emigrate to another country. I couldn't focus on the game at all. Even though I'm not playing on the field now, I know how enormous the pressure and pain you are feeling must be. But the same goes for the opponent. The one who endures it faster will win. Be nervous if you must, but do not fear mistakes or defeat."
After that, the veteran players stepped forward one by one and offered valuable advice.
The players currently on the field also spoke briefly.
It was meant to raise the team's spirit.
And then.
"Maknae, say something."
"Yes."
Ho-young, the last to speak, declared firmly.
"Let's fight without regrets."
A single determined sentence.
Goosebumps rose on the players' skin.
At that moment, a powerful shout erupted inside the locker room.
"Yeah, even if we lose, so what. Let's just play without regrets. I'll defend like a madman at the back, so attack without worry."
"I won't give up until the very end."
"Let's crush those Spaniards in the second half."
"I, Jung Sung-ryong, will guard the goal."
"Wooo! Let's win!"
Time passed quickly, and it was soon time to head back to the pitch.
Standing in front of the tunnel, the players each used their own methods to steady their minds.
Every second while waiting felt tense.
When the Spanish players also entered the tunnel, the pressure became so heavy that it was difficult to even open one's mouth.
Then it happened.
"Hey, Young."
Someone approached Ho-young and extended a hand.
It was Iker Casillas, one of the players he was quite close with at Real Madrid.
Casillas gave him a light hug and whispered.
"Thinking about it now, I'm really glad we get to face each other here."
Casillas felt it clearly.
Facing Ho-young as a goalkeeper was incredibly difficult, and it made him realize once again how valuable Ho-young was to Real Madrid.
But.
"You'd better be ready. I won't allow a single goal in the second half. We'll run ourselves to death today."
The 15-minute halftime.
It was not only Korea that had strengthened their resolve.
Spain's players, including Casillas, had also armed themselves with fierce determination.
Not a single one of them looked ready to back down.
Ho-young answered.
"Same here."
There were only 45 minutes left.
Their battle rushed toward its conclusion with even greater intensity.
62 minutes into the match.
Nearly 20 minutes of the second half had passed, and the game remained fiercely balanced.
It was difficult to tell which team was ranked first in the FIFA rankings and which was 45th.
Ki Sung-yueng and Kim Jung-hoo became the pillars of the team, actively fighting the midfield battle. When necessary, Ho-young and Park Ji-sung joined them, ensuring they did not lose control in midfield.
The driving force behind it was physical play.
"There's space behind you!"
"I'll cover!"
Thud.
Korea constantly communicated, covering each other's weaknesses.
They were displaying performance worthy of a World Cup semifinal.
However, it did not last long.
As time passed, Korea's performance gradually declined.
Consistency.
That was the biggest difference between the two teams.
Meanwhile, Spain's possession began to rise dramatically.
[Spain's fierce attacks continue. Our players must stay focused.]
[A pass toward the right side behind the defense. Pedro Rodríguez controls the ball.]
[Cha Du-rim is rushing over!]
Thud.
The Terminator of Cha.
Despite having already run seven kilometers in the first half, Cha Du-rim sprinted with explosive speed and stuck his foot in.
But his action was too aggressive.
The referee pulled out a yellow card.
[Ah, Pedro Rodríguez is down. He's clutching his ankle with a painful expression. It seems there was a collision while contesting the ball with Cha Du-rim.]
[The medical staff are coming onto the field. The situation looks quite serious.]
The medical team's expressions darkened.
It would require further examination, but it did not appear to be an injury that would heal in one or two weeks.
A substitution was inevitable.
[Jesús Navas replaces Pedro.]
[He is a winger who plays as a starter for Sevilla. Though small in stature, he is extremely quick and agile, making him excellent at dribbling past defenders. He also has strong defensive ability and is sometimes used as a full-back.]
He was a player capable of energizing the team in many ways.
However, the Spanish crowd responded not with applause, but with harsh criticism.
It was not directed at Jesús Navas.
"That bald bastard!"
"You bastard!"
"Boooo!"
The insults and jeers were directed at Cha Du-rim.
As a result, the atmosphere in the stadium grew heated, and the players' actions also became increasingly rough.
Elbows began to appear more frequently, and injuries occurred across the pitch.
It was around the 75th minute.
[Ramos has stepped on Lee Chung-yong's shin! Shouldn't that be a red card?!]
[It ends with a yellow card. The referee must have judged that the situation was unavoidable.]
With things like this happening, Korea had no choice but to use a substitution as well.
Heo Sung-soo immediately brought on Yeom Ki-hun in an attempt to refresh the atmosphere.
But the rough flow of the match continued.
[A goal kick from Jung Sung-ryong toward the second line. Park Joo-hyung runs to meet it.]
[Good! He wins the aerial duel!]
But then.
Whistle.
The referee's whistle sounded again.
During the aerial contest, Park Joo-hyung had struck Busquets in the face with his elbow.
A yellow card was shown again, and Busquets had to step off the field briefly for treatment.
Korea launched a fierce attack during that moment.
[Ho-young dribbles forward himself. Xabi Alonso steps up to challenge.]
[There it is! He changes direction and accelerates!]
Xabi Alonso attempted a sliding tackle from behind, but Ho-young evaded it beautifully and surged forward.
Even when Puyol threw his body forward, it was not enough.
Whoosh.
[Ho-young with a back shot! He escapes Puyol's shadow!]
[Good! He must push through!]
The synergy created by his wide vision, anticipation, and decision-making was tremendous.
However.
"…!"
He failed to react in time to Ramos, who suddenly appeared from the left.
Even so, he reacted quickly and tried to escape, but Ramos grabbed his jersey and refused to let go.
At that moment, Iniesta and Piqué rushed in and tackled from both front and back.
Their intention was clear.
Stop Ho-young completely, no matter what happened afterward.
But.
An open space.
In moments of crisis, opportunities always appear.
Ho-young's pass was faster than the tackles coming from both sides.
Thud.
"Huh…!"
"Behind you!"
The ball lifted slightly over Piqué, who was rushing forward.
It was a lofted pass that dropped into the empty space inside the penalty box.
And immediately afterward, Park Joo-hyung unleashed a fiery first-time shot.
Thud.
[Ah… Casillas with the save! It hits his hand and rebounds out!]
[It's still alive!]
Yeom Ki-hun ran toward the ball, but Casillas reacted even faster.
It was defense like an iron wall.
"Ahhh!"
Park Joo-hyung slammed his fist into the grass in frustration.
There seemed to be no more hope.
Unfortunately, Korea's misfortune continued afterward.
Ho-young created chances through his playmaking, but every shot was blocked by Casillas.
Part of it was poor finishing, but breaking through the world's best goalkeeper at the peak of his career was never easy.
The score remained 1-1.
Spain clearly led in statistics like possession and pass success rate, but the actual flow of the match was not vastly different.
Either team could score at any moment.
However, as the Korean defenders grew tired, Spain's attack became increasingly fierce.
Coach Vicente del Bosque substituted David Villa and brought on Fernando Torres, injecting fresh energy into the attack.
And around the 89th minute.
That substitution proved its value.
Spain created a chance from a grounded pass by Xavi Hernández.
[The space behind the defense has opened! They must stop Fernando Torres!]
[Players must chase him to the end!]
In an instant, Torres broke the defensive line and entered the penalty box.
Jung Sung-ryong's face stiffened.
And then.
Rustle.
Despairingly, the net shook far too easily.
There was no miracle this time.
Even so, the players did not give up until the end.
They ran and ran again.
But there are things effort alone cannot overcome.
Then came the 94th minute.
Whistle. Whistle.
After the full four minutes of added time passed, the ball sat still at the center of the field.
Spain's victory was confirmed.
But ironically, a moment later Ho-young's face appeared on the stadium screen.
1 goal, 13 key passes, 14 successful dribbles, 13 kilometers covered.
It was the MOM award for Ho-young, who had delivered a dominant performance.
[Saint Iker's Reaction Speed (SU)]
[Perfect Press Resistance (SU)]
"Haa… haa…"
Good news appeared before his eyes, but what filled his vision was tears.
The frustration of missing the final surged inside him.
He felt like a criminal and could not raise his head.
All he could do was sit on the ground and cry.
His mind went blank.
He could not think of anything.
Only tears continued to flow.
And then.
"Don't cry!"
"You did well! You did more than enough!"
"It's okay! It's okay!"
"It's not over yet!"
The voices of the crowd encouraging Ho-young and the players echoed throughout the stadium.
How much time had passed?
Before he realized it, Ho-young had raised his head.
That's right.
It was not over yet.
There was still the important third-place match, and after that the World Cup would continue to be held again and again.
"Ugh."
Ho-young swallowed his tears and looked up at the sky.
Perhaps because his eyes were moist, the night sky looked incredibly clear.
The countless stars seemed to be comforting him.
"I'm only noticing this now."
He had been in South Africa for an entire month, yet this was the first time he had properly looked at the night sky.
That was how relentlessly he had been running forward.
For today, he almost wanted to forget everything and rest peacefully.
But.
Slowly.
Ho-young planted both feet on the ground and stood up again.
It was not the time to sit down yet.
(To be continued.)