Taeguk Warriors exit cup with heads held high

They might have stopped short of progressing further into the tournament, but the South Korean national football team can take solace in having reached the final 16 of the World Cup for the first time away from home.

With the hallmarks of another spectacular run in place, mirroring their exploits in 2002, Huh Jung-moo’s men were unlucky to face unbeaten Uruguay -- a match which the Taeguk Warriors controlled and ultimately should have come out victors had luck gone their way.

With the team’s original goal of advancing from the group stages achieved, the team should hold their heads high despite the exit from the world’s most watched sporting event.

It was a rollercoaster ride for Huh’s men who had fought tooth and nail to clinch a spot to the next round.

The team began their campaign off to a flyer when they comfortably dispatched 2004 European champion Greece 2-0 on June 12.

It marked the tournament’s first victory since kick-off with many experts showering the team with praise for playing positive, attack-minded football.

Until then, all five matches had ended with other teams notching up unspectacular stalemates caused by overly cautious tactics that have become synonymous with modern football.

South Korea striker Park Chu-young gestures during the game against Uruguay at the Port Elizabeth Stadium on Saturday. Yonhap News