SEOUL, South Korea — The fans gathered at Asian Stadium in Busan, at Millennium Park in Seoul, turning an entire country into a red sea of national jerseys. And when South Korea produced its historic 2-0 victory over Poland on Tuesday in Busan, the drums never stopped beating.
A lifetime of World Cup frustration ended in a night of celebration, after Guus Hiddink’s South Koreans rode the wave of emotion to a convincing win. Downtown Seoul became a giant, joyful traffic snarl.
“This is our greatest day in sports,” said Kim Jung, a teacher celebrating in the makeshift parade. “We said we would win, and then we did.”
The South Koreans, good enough every four years to qualify from the weak Asian zone, had been 0-10-4 in World Cup matches. The 15th was the charm. They totally dominated the hapless Poles.
Both goals were wonderful shots, coming off pretty plays. Hwang Sun-hong scored on a left-footed volley in the 26th minute, from a well-timed left-footed pass by Lee Eul-yong. The ball curled inside the left post, giving Poland’s respected goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek no chance.
Yoo Sang-chul’s goal in the 53rd minute was from a hard shot outside the top of the box. Until this match, the greatest moment in South Korean soccer history had come in 1994 at the Cotton Bowl, where the team came back from a two-goal deficit in the final five minutes to tie Spain.
The unexpectedly easy victory suddenly put South Korea in excellent position to advance from Group D into the second round. The South Koreans next face the United States on Monday, a match that could assure their success. They own a 3-1-1 edge against the Americans, but the two teams have never met at the World Cup.
The victory Tuesday guaranteed the continued hero worship of Hiddink, the famous Dutch coach who is celebrated everywhere on local television and on billboards. Inside the stadium, fans draped a banner that pleaded: “Hiddink: Make Our Dreams Come True.”
The South Koreans succeeded, performing at a level that only had been expected from their own diehard supporters. This was exactly what U.S. coach Bruce Arena meant, when he had said he was happy to avoid the Koreans in their opening match.
Poland next faces a difficult match against Portugal. First-round elimination awaits them, but not for the revelers in Seoul. By late last night, “Pomp and Circumstance” blared from TV sets and stereos.
The South Koreans had finally graduated.