South Korea 2-1 Portugal: Heung-min Son and Co through to World Cup group stages with win

Six minutes of stoppage time had just been announced when Son Heung-min picked up a clearance, deep inside his own half and set off towards the Portugal goal.

There was a great distance to cover and the Tottenham star looked exhausted but he put his head down and summoned one last effort, carrying the ball forwards and attracting three defenders towards him.

As they crowded him out, he slipped a pass through the legs of Diogo Dalot to Hwang Hee-chan, the Wolves striker, and swept it beyond Portugal’s ‘keeper Diogo Costa into the net.

Out of nowhere, South Korea were in front and out of nowhere they were going through to the last 16.

Across Doha, Uruguay were beating Ghana 2-0 and, as it stood, the Koreans were in second by virtue of goals scored. When the Group H table flashed up on the big screens, there was a huge roar of approval.

Then the final whistle went, Son whipped off the mask designed to protect his fractured cheekbone, and collapsed in tears. Many of his team-mates did the same but the Uruguayans were still playing and the Koreans regrouped around a phone in the centre of the pitch to watch the end of the game on their phones.

The stadium announcer declared there were still three minutes to play. Another goal for the South Americans would send them through instead, with a better goal difference. But they did not find the goal and South Korea erupted in celebrations and Sonny burst into tears once again.

It was emotional. South Korea’s task was tough enough at the start. They had to win and hope from favours from elsewhere, and it became tougher still when they went behind inside five minutes.

Pepe passed the ball long out of defence to Dalot, who took the ball in his stride with a fine first touch and cut it back to and Ricardo Horta, darting in at the near post to convert the low cross.

This made for uncomfortable viewing for Paulo Bento, the former Portugal international now in charge of South Korea and sent off by referee Anthony Taylor at the end of the previous game against Ghana.

Bento was banned from the touchline for this game and took his seat in the stand where he was in dispute with a couple of Portugal supporters who wanted him to sit down, as the move leading the goal unfolded.

South Korea had a goal ruled out after a short corner routine. Kim Jin-su the ball in after Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa saved a header and the rebound hit Jung Woo-young but it was offside.

The equaliser came from a corner, delivered by Lee Kan-gin and unwittingly assisted by Ronaldo, who was unsighted by players leaping across him as the ball struck his back and dropped at the feet of Kim Young-gwon, who swept it past Costa.

Portugal created good chances but could not find their second. Vitinha tried his luck from distance. His shot was parried and Ronaldo threw himself forward in an attempt to work the rebound back towards goal with his head. Dalot also had an effort saved and Horta forced another save from Kim Seung-gyu.

South Korea must have known that, with Uruguay beating Ghana at the same time, any win would probably send them through on goal difference. Their chances, however, were restricted to a series of ambitious long-range shots.

Son Heung-min saw one saved by Costa in the first half, one deflected wide after half time and another blocked. The Tottenham forward tried to whip up the strong Korean presence in the stadium.

Hwang In-beom fired another 25-yarder, again sweetly struck but straight at Costa. Lee Kang-in curled a free-kick over, but they were not able to summon the

Fernando Santos made changes, among them Ronaldo was replaced but still South Korean did not look like find the goal they needed until the final seconds.

RE-LIVE THE ACTION AS IT UNFOLDED WITH ADAM SHERGOLD BELOW