Advocaat brought on crowd favorite striker Ahn Jung Hwan in 63 minutes for defender Lee Young Pyo, hoping to put more strength on attacks while news filtering in from Cologne that France was taking the lead through Patrick Vieira.

Korea's Lee Chun Soo (L), Park Ji Sung (2nd L) and Lee Ho play defence against Switzerland's free-kick during the final round match of World Cup 2006 Group G between Korea and Switzerland in Hanover, Germany, June 23, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)

    But the Koreans failed to convert any of their chances to score and even trailed further with a controversial goal from Alexander Frei.

    The key striker to Switzerland's attack scored with 17 minutes remaining when Xavier Margairaz played a ball through for Frei and the Rennes' forward hesitated for just a second before running in on goal to score.

    The goal was argued by furious Koreans as the linesman's flag went straight up when the pass was made, but the referee ruled it out of an offside and the video replay showed that Margairaz's pass had come off a Korean defender.

Korea's Lee Chun Soo (L) crashes into Ricardo Cabanas of Switzerland during the final round match of World Cup 2006 Group G between Korea and Switzerland in Hanover, Germany, June 23, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)

    "The second goal was nonsense," South Korea forward Lee Chun-soo said.

    "We played so hard today but still have so much to learn," he added.

    "I think the ball was deflected on its way to me by one of the Koreans. It was one of those 50-50 things but fortunately the luckwas with us," Frei said.