HANOVER, June 23 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's World Cup campaign has been ended up after the 2002 semifinalists were beaten 2-0 by Switzerland in front of their merry band of noisy fans here on Friday.

Switzerland's Tranquillo Barnetta (L) vies with Korea's Lee Chun Soo at the final round match of World Cup 2006 Group G in Hanover, Germany, June 23, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)

    Heading into the final round robin game unbeaten, the Koreans only trailed the eventual Group G winners Swiss on goal differences, but they faced a do-or-die match in Hanover racing to the wire as France, who had 2 points from both draws of previous matches, took Togo in Cologne at the same time.

    With the 2-0 defeat by Switzerland and France winning over the World Cup debutants from Africa on the same scores, South Korea have been beaten into third on four points and missed out a berth to the knockout stages, while Switzerland on 7 points and France with 5 advanced as the top two finishers.

    It has been the 15th loss for South Korea out of their 18 encounters with European team at the World Cup. The only three wins of them came in 2002 on home soil.

    South Korea's coach Dick Advocaat blamed the referees for the defeat.

Switzerland's Ricardo Cabanas (R) controls the ball at the final round match of World Cup 2006 Group G against Korea in Hanover, Germany, June 23, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)

    "Most of the decisions didn't go our way and some were not to our liking," he said.

    "We knew beforehand that on set pieces they would be dangerous and they were, Swiss controlled the game in first half," he added." In the second half we deserved more than nothing. We were just not good enough in the end."