SEOUL, South Korea – Only one thing could have stopped the singing, swaying sea of red. It came in the 75th minute off the foot of German midfielder Michael Ballack, no stranger to breaking hearts.
Ending the most improbable run in an upset-filled World Cup, Germany advanced to its record seventh final with a 1-0 victory over co-host South Korea on Tuesday night.
"It was absolutely fantastic," Germany defender Carsten Ramelow said. "We are proud to have beaten not only 11 Korean players but the 64,000 spectators."
South Korea didn't get to paint the nation red for yet another all-night celebration by its millions of devoted fans.
Instead, it was the Germans in white jerseys who repeatedly took victory laps at Seoul World Cup Stadium, thanks to the goal from Ballack off a rebound of his own shot. His game-winner came four days after he eliminated the United States with a goal on a header in the Germans' 1-0 victory in the quarterfinals.
Little was expected from this team, but now it will get a chance to win a fourth World Cup for its country -- the first for a united German team -- and get the respect accorded the West German champions of 1954, 1974 and 1990.
The Germans were just too experienced and well organized for South Korea, controlling the ball and doing most of the attacking to advance to Sunday's final against Brazil or Turkey in Yokohama, Japan.
They will seek to equal Brazil's record for World Cup championships, but will do so without Ballack, suspended after getting his second yellow card of the knockout phase. Four minutes before the goal, Lee Chun-soo got away from Torsten Frings and went around Ramelow, and Ballack pulled down Lee just outside the penalty area.
"My first thoughts are bitterness," said Ballack, who cried in the locker room after the game. "My dream was to play in the final, but now that will not be."
His teammates praised him.
"It's more or less his duty," said Germany coach Rudi Voeller. "Even though he knew with another yellow card he would miss the final, he still committed that tactical foul, which was utterly necessary."
Germany scored after Bernd Schneider intercepted Kim Tae-young's pass and sent it ahead to Oliver Neuville, who ran down the right flank, drawing two defenders. He went almost to the end of the field, then bent the ball back to the center.
Ballack, unmarked, charged toward the goal and his initial low, right-footed shot off the pass was saved by sliding goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae. But the hard rebound went right to Ballack, who volleyed in a left-footed shot from about 8 yards for his third goal of the tournament.
"I think we had a bit too much respect for the German team," said Guus Hiddink, the Dutch-born coach who has become a South Korean hero, mobbed wherever he goes.
A month ago, South Korea's dream was just to win a World Cup game after going 0-10-4 in five previous appearances. But after beating Poland, Portugal, Italy and Spain, the "Red Devils" had hopes as large as the 40-by-60-yard South Korean flag unfurled during the national anthem. They were hoping to become the first team not from Europe or South America to play in a World Cup final.
On Tuesday, seven million of Korea's 47 million people were out on the streets, watching on 400 giant televisions.
Ballack's goal only silenced the crowd in the stands for a few seconds. The fans, dressed in red, then resumed singing and cheering, hoping in vain for the equalizer.
"We did our best," South Korea captain Hong Myung-bo said. "We have come this far due to the fervent support of our fans. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts."
South Korea, the first Asian team in the World Cup semifinals, will play in Saturday's third-place game against the loser of Wednesday's other semifinal.
The South Korean players were all national heroes, and fans gave them a five-minute standing ovation after the final whistle. The coach Hiddink was swarmed when he climbed into the stands.
"We can be proud of the boys and what we did," he said. "Not just tonight ... but the long run of the tournament."
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