Old Spider Hands saves South Korea

KUALA LUMPUR: South Korea's veteran goalkeeper Lee Won-jae showed his young team mates there is some life in the old spider yet after breaking Iranian hearts in an Asian Cup quarterfinal penalty shootout on Sunday.

Lee, known as "Spider Hands" to Korens, saved two Iranian penalties in the Malaysian capital to put Korea in the semifinals.

The 34-year-old, who has won more than 100 caps, was also named man-of-the-match but typically the Korean captain played down his role in typically modest fashion.

"In a penalty shootout there's much more pressure on the kicker than the goalkeeper," said Lee, who's spot-kick heroics against Spain in 2002 helped the Koreans to the semifinals of the World Cup on home soil.

South Korea's media, while critical of the team's overall performance in the dour 0-0 draw, lauded Lee.

"The elder brother saved the game," they said, describing Lee as "The guardian that saved the Korean team".

The Suwon Blue Wings stopper warned his team-mates that it would be a mistake to dwell on the win against Iran and urged them to focus on the semifinal against Iraq.

"We can't get carried away with this win. We have to forget about it and start preparing for the Iraq game," he said.

"If we don't beat Iraq it was all for nothing."

Agencies

(China Daily 07/24/2007 page19)