LiveBlog: France-South Korea

A late equaliser for Korea secures another point, but France needed a win. Some controversy around a French goal that never was and Zidane picked up an odd booking so misses the final group game. Unless France progress this was his last ever football match.

Live: France 1-1 South Korea

-Thanks to everyone for stopping by. Not the best game for 80 minuts but it picked up a bit toward the end. Great comments, I learned the following things:

• The difference between a cockerel, a rooster and a chicken
• The origins of the cockerel as a French symbol
• The origin and meaning of the Korean flag
• To order kim chi sometime soon

-That was-it-over-the-line goal/not goal looks even more controversial now.

93:00 Full time. 1-1. Oh dear.

92:30 Korea passing sharply. Win a free kick on the edge of France’s area. The French are in ruins. Ahn strikes it wide, but only just.

90:00 3 minute of injury time. Zidane off for Trezeguet. That could be the last time you see him on a footy field.

89:00 France attacking but it could be all too late. Barthez drops a cross! What a clown. Recovers it though. Still a clown. He was flapping at the ball for the Korea goal too.

88:00 Henry just misses with a diving header. Offside though.

87:30 Dhorousa on for Malouda. Barthez up to his usual tricks.

86:32 Korean defender misses a clearance, Ribery lifts it over his head then shoots, blocked. Good skills though. Zidane’s corner headed over by Henry.

86:00 That didn’t deserve a card did it?

84:30 Zidane tackles hard to win the ball and plays Henry through. Keeper saves at his feet. Zidane booked for tackle. Now he’ll miss the last game. This could be Zidane’s last game. The horror, the horror.

84:00 Kim Nan Il receiving treatment on the stretcher. Korea have no more subs so they’re down to 10 men.

83:00 Korean fans are jubilant. I wonder if that woman will the nails is celebrating. I’ll bet the Staples Center is going crazy.

81:00 Vieira shoots very very high. If any rugby or NFL fans are reading, that was 3 points.

80:00 Park Ji Sung sliced it over Barthez from close range. Kimchi all round.

80:00 GGOOOAAALLLLL!! Korea equalise!

79:40 Lee Young Pyo proves Zidane is no defender, beating him with relative ease. Maybe a bit late in the career for Zidane to work on his defensive play?

78:30 Abidal with a late clumsy tackle. Booking. And he’ll miss the Togo match now.

77:35 John Harkes atones for Dellacamera’s earlier mistake (see 46:00).

76:12 Ribery turns and plays a great ball through, suggesting he might actually be a decent player after all. Just too long though (the ball not Ribery).

74:39 Henry nutmegs a defender but loses the ball. Not enough nutmegs at this World Cup so far.

73:13 Sagnol getting forward. Couple of stepovers and a cross, but no one there. Resulting corner cleared with a diving header. Excitement! Malouda strikes it over the bar. Has he got his boots on the wrong feet or what?

71:14 Ahn set to come on soon. Korea running out of time. Ahn Jung Hwan finally gets on the field. Why so late?

68:23 Lee Ho out injured. Kim Sang Sik is in. Great, great name. Could be a children’s story about a little girl (Kim, obviously) who overcomes some form of illness (let’s say laryngitis) to perform in the school musical (let’s say “Annie”).

67:22 Korea need to make a change and step things up a bit. How about Ahn, who scored against Togo?

65:00 Zidane dictating some French passing play. Remember, he’s finished with football once France are out. Enjoy the old fella while you can.

63:40 Corner nearly falls for Gallas at the far post, but it’s juts too far in front of him. Zidane might go the full 90, unless France score a second.

62:48 Ribery does well to dribble at the top of the box, France hold possession until Sagnol shoots. Hits Korean defender in the arm. Ball to hand though.

61:28 Korea passing it around, but going nowhere. France looks pretty organised and not too easy to break down.

59:28 Ribery replacing Wiltord for France. Wiltord has’t done too bdaly all in all. Ribery needs to impress after the Swiss game.

58:45 Long ball nearly finds Jae Jin. His shoulder looks better, but he can’t reach it.

57:34 Wiltord dribbles around the top of the box (maybe he’s not so bad after all) before squaring to Malouda. Malouda shoots wide. Wonder if Domenech is thinking about subs…

56:40 Jae Jin landed on his shoulder. Ouch. Looks like it’s giving him some trouble.

55:45 Vieira heads a cross straight at the keeper from close range.

55:00 Vieira nails Kim Nam Il. Not intentional he’s juts much bigger and much stronger.

53:42 Apparently there are 20,000 Korea fans at the Staples Center stadium in LA to watch the game on a screen. Good work.

52:00 Wiltord with a shot just wide. Still don’t rate him.

51:00 Cho chases a long ball down the middle but Barthez beats him to it. Collects with his hands as opposed to trying the tricks with his feet that cost him the Man Utd gig.

49:00 Korea trying a bit of attacking early second half. Still not really getting in behind France though.

46:00 I’ve got my wish. Seol is on. Unfortunately JP Dellacamera on ABC says Seol plays for “Wolverhampton Wolves” as opposed to my beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers. Maybe Seol had a recent transfer I don’t know about?

45:00 Second half underway.

-Still image shows ball was more or less definitely over the line. Lee’s feet are behind the goal line and he’s leaning back to make the save.

-I’d like to see number 10 Park Chu Young on for Korea, or possibly number 11 Seol Ki Hyeon. Park because he’s a young striker who’s meant to be a bit special, Seol because he plays for my beloved Wolvehampton Wanderers.

-For anyone who missed the link in the comments section, here’s the bird:

Half time France won’t be too unhappy about that. Korea need a change of plan for the second half. I’m off to boil the kettle for a cuppa.

45+2 It is magic, Abidal is back on the pitch.

45+1 Magic sponge being applied. Is it really magic? We’ll find out.

45:00 Eric Abidal (French left back) down and holding the back of his left knee, or possibly his calf. Doesn’t look good for him.

43:11 Three Korean ladies looking bored there. The lady on the left looked like she was drying her nails. Or maybe she was nervous, hard to tell. She’s either really into it, or doesn’t care at all.

42:00 Korea dropping off, letting France pass it around. Maybe waiting to spring a counter attack?

40:25 Great work from Henry, taking it to Korea and trying to force a one-two that only just doesn’t come off.

38:31 To clear up any debate about sensors in the ball: no there isn’t. It was tried at an U-17 Championship and the decision was that it needed more time and testing before being used in a major tournament.

37:00 Great Korean free kick from deep misses everyone but bounces just wide. Barthez didn’t necessarily have it covered.

33:30Another replay suggests it was over the line. ESPN commentators complaining about the quality of the world feed. Oh the irony.

32:00 Lee Ho limps off, looks bad. Were France denied a legitimate goal? Replay very inconclusive.

31:30 Vieira header from Zidane’s corner saved BEHIND THE LINE (maybe) by Korean keeper.

30:00 But then Henry wins a free kick to prove me wrong. Zidane takes, bounces off Korean defender for corner.

29:00 Replay of Henry tumble not convincing. Ref was right. I heard rumours Spike Lee was going to make an actor out of him. Not sure there’s much to work with after that.

28:00 Kim Dong-Jin (one of Korea’s many Kims) booked for a rough tackle.

27:20 Henry goes down in the box, referee doesn’t react.

26:14 Wiltord having a laugh if he thinks Henry and Zidane are going to let him take it. He’s waved away by his teammates. Henry takes it in the end but no good.

25:00 France direct free kick. Six players standing around, wanting to take it.

24:24 Zidane with a nice rolled backheel pass down the line, but goes for a throw. He’s still great to watch on the ball, even if he’s lost a yard or ten of pace.

24:00 1-0. Korea no shots on goal yet.

23:00 Still, would have been another French player on the score sheet…

21:51 Daryl back on for Bob. It’s like tag team wrestling. Gallas headed high at his own goal, nearly very embarrassing for him, but just over.

19:31 Henry takes a knock but appears to be ok. He should remember the goal and it will make him feel better.

18:30 By the way this is Bob on for Daryl whose computer apparently has died. A first in Liveblogging history as I come off the bench.

17:12 France continuing to control the action as South Korea not able to mount the attack.

11:22 France looking confident now. Zidane with a stepover and shot, but wide. Second viewing of Henry goal reveals Wiltord didn’t pass, he shot and it was deflected into Henry’s path.

8:45 GOOAAAL! Henry scores. Open the red wine, the eight year drought is over. Wiltord played a short pass, Henry took one touch and placed it beyond the keeper. Made it look easy.

6:00 Henry sends Wiltord through, keeper blocks his shot. Malouda shoots very wide. I wouldn’t rely on Wiltord for goals.

5:30 One day, every World Cup team will be coached by a Dutchman.

4:00 Crowd sounds nice and lively. Half chance for Henry, but cleared. It will be half-funny half-sad if they don’t score in this World Cup either.

1:00 No Ribery. He was dreadful against the Swiss.

0:00 We have kick off.

-So was it a rooster, a chicken or a cockerill? What’s the difference and how can we tell?

-Korean anthem not so exciting. I like faster paced anthems.

-One French supporter had a cockerill. How did he sneak that past security?

-National anthems. The French one always makes me think of that scene in “Casablanca.” If you don’t know what I’m talking about then go rent it.

-Is anyone elese surprised that Wiltord got the nod again? He wasn’t looking too good against Switzerland.

-Line ups:

France

* 16 F Barthez
* 03 E Abidal
* 05 W Gallas
* 15 L Thuram
* 19 W Sagnol
* 07 F Malouda
* 04 P Vieira
* 06 C Makelele
* 10 Z Zidane
* 11 S Wiltord
* 12 T Henry

Korea

* 01 W Lee
* 02 Y Kim
* 03 D Kim
* 04 J Choi
* 12 Y Lee
* 05 N Kim
* 07 J Park
* 13 E Lee
* 17 H Lee
* 14 C Lee
* 19 J Cho

-Are we writing off France too early? Surely with players like Henry and Vieira they’re capable of getting it together…

-25 minutes till kick off. Can France finally score today?

Pregame: An interesting match. Who do you think will come out on top?

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