An Iranian soccer fan reacts after his team lost to South Korea in their 2011 Asian Cup quarterfinal match at Qatar Sports Club Stadium in Doha on Saturday. South Korea won 1-0. Yasser AL-Zayyat / AFP

DOHA - Iran's long wait for more Asian Cup glory goes on after it was eliminated at the quarterfinals by South Korea, with coach Afshin Ghotbi saying his players wilted under the weight of expectation.

The regional giant and three-time champion has not won the continental showpiece since 1976 and was put under the cosh for long spells by a Korean side whose slick passing and quick movement had Iran chasing shadows at times.

Iran's stubborn defence held firm until 20-year-old Korean substitute Yoon Bit Ga-ram popped up after 105 minutes of stalemate to break the deadlock and send Iran out 1-0.

"In the first half we didn't play like we can. That maybe had to do with the Koreans' quality and our own nerves," said Ghotbi, who used to be South Korea's assistant coach.

"I could've changed seven or eight players in the first half as they really didn't play as well as they can.

"But as the game wore on we got better and unfortunately we lost a goal chance at the worst moment, but it was a fantastic finish."

In a game of few clear-cut chances, Iran's best opportunity came in the first half when Korea striker Ji Dong-won inadvertently flicked a Mohammad Reza Khalatbari free-kick back towards his own goal.

But Jung Sung-ryong pulled off a fine save, diving left and low to claw the ball out. It would have been harsh on the Koreans, who dominated for long spells.

It was the fifth Asian Cup quarterfinal in as many tournaments between the two sides, Saturday's victory putting the Koreans 3-2 up in that mini-series.

For Ghotbi, whose dejected demeanour was in stark contrast to his pre-game prediction that his side would win because it was the better team, it brings down the curtain on his time as coach in hugely disappointing fashion.

He takes over J-League side Shimizu S-Pulse in February.

"This championship was very important to our players and our team," said the US-educated 46-year-old. "When we reached the second phase we started believing we could be champions and make the people of Iran happy," he said.

Ghotbi said he had had some major work to do at halftime, after a period in which the Koreans were far superior.

"When these two sides meet anything can happen. We tried very hard to get the players to relax and play football, but the Koreans did very well in the midfield and closing down space," he said.

"At halftime we talked about it and I think in the second half we improved but not as we would have liked. Again it comes down to the importance of winning and I think it got to the players.

"They are tired of not coming home with the trophy for 35 years and they wanted to do this for the people."

But the English-speaking Ghotbi, who played a key role in Korea's run to the semifinals at the 2002 World Cup, predicted a bright future for the country of his birth.

"The Iran team has a great future and a lot of rising stars and I will follow them from a distance," he said.

"I want to thank the Iranian people for all their support over the last three years. There are moments with Iran I will never forget."

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 01/24/2011 page24)