Playing its sixth match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, the South Korea men's football team won for just the second time on Friday.
That was enough to make history.
A team that had only scored three goals in five matches in these Olympic games scored twice at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, and South Korea claimed the Olympic bronze medal - its first ever in football - with a 2-0 win over Japan. The Japanese were favored coming in, but the Koreans were able to make the most out of limited opportunities and capture the medal.
South Korea first scored in the 38th minute on an outstanding individual effort by Park Chuyoung. Park, who plays for Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League, was surrounded by Japanese defenders, but none was able to slow him down before he unleashed a hard right-footed shot that eluded Japanese goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda. That was the only goal of the first half, and the Koreans were halfway to history.
Gonda came out of the net in the 50th minute to make a key stop and break up a golden opportunity for Japan, but there was little he could do some seven minutes later when Korean captain Koo Jacheol came in on a counter attack and unleashed a bouncing shot that fooled the Japanese keeper and found its way into the back of the net for a second goal.
Japan looked to cut into the lead in the 88th minute when team captain Maya Yoshida headed a corner kick into the net, but the referee ruled that Korean goalkeeper Jung Sungryong had been interfered with, disallowing the goal.
After three minutes of stoppage time, the celebration was on in Cardiff. The South Korean men will go home with a record of two wins, three draws (including the quarterfinal against Great Britain) and one loss.
For a team that surprised by capturing a medal, that will be more than enough.
