Brave Ballack leaves Korea in tears

Who knows how the course of the game might have altered had a blistering Lee Chun Soo volley found the back of the net in the eighth minute? The striker had careered his way through the German defence, found Cha Doo Ri on the right, and then met the subsequent cross with a thunderous shot which produced the familiar squeals of ecstasy from the Red Devils fans.

They were premature, though, as Kahn, just as he's done throughout a tournament in which he's only been beaten once, flung himself at full stretch to his right and somehow palmed it away.

It was a save of the highest order and whenever he was subsequently called upon to make four other important stops during the game, he was equally as impressive.

Which is more than can be said for most of his team-mates. In truth, Guus Hiddink's side never really had the look of a team which believed it could become the first Asian country to make the Final yet the Germans, for so long, simply didn't have the wit or invention to break down the back three of Choi Jin Cheul, Hong Myung Bo and the masked Kim Tae Young, who threw themselves about heroically to make last-ditch interventions.

Yet there was an inevitability, even after Miroslav Klose, looking anything but a Golden Boot contender here, and Oliver Neuville, who had earlier come closest with a fierce volley, failed to break through.

Eventually, the game was to turn on a dramatic five-minute period midway through the second-half. Lee Chun Soo, who had posed the biggest threat all match with his surges from midfield, suddenly made a weaving run towards the area, forcing Ballack as almost the last line of defence to bring him down just outside the box.

There was no doubt it was a cynical foul, though Voller chose to describe it in heroic terms, saying: "It was a tactical foul which was absolutely necessary, even though he knew he'd miss the Final if he made it. He put himself at the service of the whole country - and the country will respect him for it."

Certainly, referee Urs Meier had no choice but to show him the yellow card which, following a booking in the second-round win over Paraguay, meant he would miss the Final. He gave a groan but then got on with his job of ensuring that even if he wouldn't be out there in Yokohama, his team-mates would.

Within minutes, Kim Tae Young, for once, made a careless pass in midfield and Neuville cashed in to streak down the right flank. His cross was cut back to the edge of the box where Ballack, steaming in, struck it first time with his right foot straight at goalkeeper Lee Woon Jae only for the rebound to fall invitingly for him to slot home with his left.

It was effectively all over, yet one final twist had everyone with hearts in mouths. Throughout the tournament, these Koreans have never known when they're beaten and in the 90th minute, there was just a tantalising moment when, with their final desperate flourish, Park Ji Sung was perfectly teed up to shoot from the edge of the box.

All 65,000 screamed but the ball sailed high and the dream was over. Doubtless, all those conspiracy theorists and football snobs who bemoaned their presence in the semis at all will be glad to see them go, but the rest of us will miss them for Korea's has been a story of what you can achieve with all-for-one, one-for-all teamwork, supreme fitness, underrated skill, an inspirational coach and big hearts.

As for the Germans? Well, just think. Ten months ago, they got hammered 5-1 in Munich and we all gloated with headlines about German football, RIP. Now they're ready to face Brazil or Turkey in another World Cup final. Somehow, life just isn't fair.