Soccer: Korean hosts go wild with joy after beating Poland

South Korea coach Guus Hiddink called his team's 2-0 victory over Poland "historic" as the co-hosts sealed their first finals victory at the 15th attempt.

"I think for the people, for our fans, for everyone in Korea who loves football, this is an enormous day," the Dutchman said yesterday.

"We achieved one victory and for many people that's enough, but for the team, for me, we must be greedy."

In order to advance to the last 16, the Koreans will have to finish in the top two in group D, which includes Poland, Portugal and the United States.

"We have to be very normal, very modest, very humble," Hiddink said of the task ahead.

The South Koreans ended a 48-year drought with the win, thanks to goals by Hwang Sun-hong and Yoo Sang-chul.

Yoo, voted man of the match, said: "One victory was what the people wanted. I feel relieved."

The near-capacity crowd of about 55,000, a red sea of swaying, roaring fans, thundered as the hosts pressed Poland for the full 90 minutes.

"I'm immensely proud of the players," Hiddink said. "And the fans were wonderful."

Polish coach Jerzy Engel said his players had been prepared for an aggressive Korean side.

"We knew Korea were going to be very aggressive. They were also very well organised and I believe they will be very difficult to beat at home.

"It's unfortunate that we had to play them in the first game. It's going to be very difficult for us now."

Polish goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek said the Koreans won the game in the air.

"We missed out at the challenges; that was the point, that was the key of the game," Dudek said. "They won every challenge in the air."

* Japan's 2-2 draw with Belgium in group H was one of the most exciting games of the tournament, as 55,000 fans cheered on the home side.

Marc Wilmots converted a 57th-minute scissor-kick to put Belgium ahead, but Takayuki Suzuki equalised in the 58th and Junichi Inamoto's solo effort 10 minutes later made it 2-1.

That set the stage for the Belgian equaliser, when Peter Van der Heyden took a through-pass and chipped it over goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki.

The action off the pitch was almost as exciting as the show on it, as Japan supporters created a party atmosphere at the Saitama stadium.

They banged drums, clapped and chanted "Nippon, Nippon." The national flag, the Hinomaru, was visible in every corner of the ground and huge banners, including one reading "Welcome to Blue Heaven," fluttered over one stand.

Japan's colour is blue - and the stadium was a sea of it.

"We can consider this point as a historic one because it's the first point Japan have gained in a World Cup," Japan's French coach, Philippe Troussier, said. "I'm satisfied because everything is still possible in the next two matches and I think we have a strong chance [to advance]."

* Costa Ricans sang, shouted and danced until dawn as their team opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over China.

And then, drowsy but happy, they went to work. Some of them, anyway.

"I'm going to say I'm sick because I wouldn't have missed the game or the victory party for anything in the world," said Laura Gonzalez, a supermarket worker, who was among the throngs celebrating in the streets.

The game began at 12.30am local time. When it ended in the country's first victory in a World Cup since 1990, the streets exploded with celebrations.

Thousands drove through the city in cars decked with the country's flag, honking their horns and weaving and waving at dancing, chanting roadside crowds.

The Government refused to alter normal working or school hours, so many people arrived exhausted at schools or jobs.

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