In the wake of the co-hosts’ extraordinary achievements in the last three weeks, Tuesday’s clash in the Korean capital has become anyone’s game.

Germany in the semi-finals is no surprise — this is the 10th time they have been one game away from the big one — but for Korea, without a win of any sort in 14 attempts spanning five previous World Cups, it is almost beyond comprehension. What is more, they go into it absolutely expecting to beat the three-times champions, who incredibly really believe they are the underdogs, and take on either Brazil or Turkey in the final.

“We will approach the match once more like a bunch of young dogs,’’ said Korea’s Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, already a national hero in his adopted land.

“We have gone so far and have nothing to lose and we will play the way we like to play.’’

That way — with pace, accurate passing and relentless movement backed by supreme fitness — has already accounted for Poland, Portugal, Italy and Spain in a series of stunning shocks.

Just one of those victories would have been a major achievement when held up against their previous record but Hiddink has stressed from day one that he wanted more than just respectability. While the whole country was enjoying what turned out to be the first of many amazing nights of celebration after their opening 2-0 win over Poland, Hiddink said: “I want them to be greedy for more success. I am.’’

The Poles were the first to be overwhelmed by the amazing home support that has played such an important part in Korea’s dream run, though Italy and Spain claim that it was the crowd’s influence on the match officials rather than the opposition players that made the difference.

But if ever there were a team designed to deal with crowd pressure and concentrate on their own job, it is Germany, the consummate professionals.

Amazingly consistent, they are on the brink of their seventh final and will not be fazed by the fans or their buzzing opponents, who may be running a little short on energy after two strength-sapping extra-time matches in the last week.

For Germany to take advantage, however, and avoid becoming the fifth European victim of the Korean juggernaut, they will have to step up a level from anything they have shown to date.

Germany’s Dietmar Hamann is battling a knee injury, with Jens Jeremies standing by. Kim Nam-il, substituted in the last two matches, first with a twisted ankle and then after getting badly caught by a high tackle against Spain, is doubtful, with Lee Eul-yong his probable replacement.

Probable teams:

Germany (3-5-2): 1-Oliver Kahn; 21-Christoph Metzelder, 15-Sebastian Kehl, 2-Thomas Linke; 22-Torsten Frings, 19-Bernd Schneider, 8-Dietmar Hamann (or 16-Jens Jeremies), 13-Michael Ballack, 6-Christian Ziege; 11-Miroslav Klose, 7-Oliver Neuville

South Korea (3-5-2): 1-Lee Woon-jae; 4-Choi Jin-cheul, 20-Hong Myung-bo, 7-Kim Tae-young; 21-Park Ji-sung, 6-Yoo Sang-chul, 22-Song Chong-gug, 10-Lee Young-pyo, 13-Lee Eul-yong; 19-Ahn Jung-hwan, 9-Seol Ki-hyeon.

Klose was born 24 years ago in the Polish town of Opole, whose main claim to fame until now was its hosting of an international dog show.

The day after he was born on June 9, 1978, the Germans laboured to a goalless World Cup draw against Tunisia prior to suffering one of their most humiliating defeats ever against neighbours Austria in the Argentina 78 World Cup.

Little did the Germans know that their hopes for the first World Cup to be held in Asia would rest firmly on the shoulders of the son of Polish footballer. The tournament has propelled the modest striker firmly into the limelight.

“He does wonderful somersaults,” said Irish manager Mick McCarthy wryly after his side fell victim to another trademark header in the opening phase.

The celebration routine is mere decoration on the cake for a striker who at 1m82 (6ft 1) tall manages to leap like the proverbial salmon and hang longer in the air than his opponents.

The 24-year-old's 15 goals in 31 games for Kaiserslautern last season were, however, enough to attract the attention of Germany coach Rudi Voller, who knew a thing of two about centre forwards after his 47 goals for his country and a World Cup winner's medal in 1990.

“Playing surrounded with such passion can only happen once and the players might make the most of what will be an unforgettable moment,’’ Voeller said today.

It will be an intriguing semifinal clash between the revived triple world champions and the seemingly unstoppable co-hosts.

“We know what to expect because we watched them play and television has been showing their goals endlessly,’’ added the former World Cup-winning striker.

He has experienced many highlights but has been amazed by the incredible run of Germany’s next opponents.

“The players must be ready for a totally new experience against a team who never stop going forward and who will run until they drop. They will swarm on us like bees.’’

On the brink of their seventh final, Germany would have been highly favoured to cruise past South Korea under any other circumstances but their coach insisted the traditional heavyweights were clearly the underdogs this time.

“We are not the favourites and that takes some of the pressure off,’’ said Voeller.

His men started the finals in style but struggled to move past Paraguay and the USA in their two previous outings.

“Our last games were tough partly because we were playing teams who were under-rated by most observers and we were expected to win. It’s a different situation now.’’

The Germans, who have emerged from their deepest crisis with perfect timing, are a match away from the big one for the 10th time but Voeller said they would miss out on the Yokohama final, where they would face either Brazil or Turkey, if they could not step up a gear.

“It is obvious that we have to raise the level of our game,’’ he said after seeing the red tide of South Korea drown Portugal, Italy and Spain.

Voeller had only one major worry in valued midfielder Dietmar Hamann, who twisted a ligament in his right knee in the dying moments of Friday’s quarter-final victory over the USA.

“We will not make a final decision until shortly before the game,’’ Voeller said about the Liverpool player as his team were about to leave their camp on the holiday island of Cheju to fly to Seoul, where tomorrow’s battle will be staged.

The fact that Miroslav Klose, the tournament’s joint top scorer with five goals, failed to hit the back of the net in his side’s last two games did not really concern Voeller, who knows all about great strikers’ problems.

“Miro (Miroslav) knows that you can’t always score but from what I’ve seen in training over the last few days I have reasons to believe that he will be as dangerous as ever,’’ he said.

The Germany coach was full of praise for his defence, who have conceded only one goal so far and hold one of the keys to tomorrow’s showdown.

Superb goalkeeping from captain Oliver Kahn should also be credited for an impressive defensive record, said Voeller, who named Thomas Linke and Christoph Metzelder as two of Germany’s outstanding players.

Voeller, who was an unused substitute when Germany survived a scare for a 3-2 win over South Korea in their only previous encounter in the first round of the 1994 World Cup, remained cautious when asked if he realised what was at stake.

But the team’s defence has mostly boiled down to the man behind them: goalkeeper Oliver Khan.

The 33-year-old Bayern Munich star has been outstanding so far, letting in only one goal — the best record at the competition.

If the quarter-final against the USA is anything to go by, he’ll need to be at his best again when Germany face South Korea tomorrow for a place in the final.

The German defence broke apart several times against the USA and only Kahn’s heroics protected Germany’s 1-0 win.

From game to game, Germany’s defence has been shaky. One mistake and the entire group seems to get gripped by panic, allowing the opponent long periods of domination.

All the mistakes, however, have been wiped out by Kahn’s larger-than-life presence.

Kahn has refused to take sole credit for the team’s success in South Korea and Japan.

"Without the other 10 guys, I am nothing. I am dependent on my team-mates. Alone, I can’t do anything," he said.

"We have players who are very flexible, who can adapt to any system, whether we play a three-man or a four-man defence. That’s why it doesn’t really matter what system we play," he said.

But the 26-year-old Besiktas striker is undaunted.

“Yes, we did lose to Brazil in the first round. We had a weak day. But we’ve played well since then and we’re capable of pulling off an upset,” he said.

Mansiz scored the extra time goal that eliminated Senegal on Saturday, booking a place in the last four in what is only Turkey’s second World Cup.

He came on as a late substitute for captain Hakan Sukur, who had missed several chances and has yet to find the net at the tournament.

Now, Mansiz — who had an immediate impact on the quarterfinal after coming off the bench — will be hoping for a starting role.

The striker, who was born and raised in Germany and only moved to Turkey as a teenager, says Turkey vs Germany is his dream final.

“I’m already looking ahead to playing Germany in the final. That is my wish, and may be we could beat them to win the World Cup,” he said.

“But we first have to beat Brazil. We know them from the first of our group games, so we know their strengths and weaknesses.

“They didn’t play well against Belgium, and if they play like that again I think we can beat them. We have a chance if we play a technically good game.”

In their group match, Turkey briefly led Brazil in Ulsan, South Korea, before losing 1-2 to a hotly disputed penalty three minutes before fulltime.

The Turks had two players sent off. One of them, Hakan Unsal, was shown a red card after Rivaldo, hit on the thigh by the ball, tricked the referee into thinking he had been struck in the face.

Unsal is sidelined with a knee injury and is not expected to play against Brazil.

The Turks are hoping for a measure of revenge.

But they also seem to thrive as the underdog.

Despite a clear disadvantage in terms of power and height against Senegal, they dominated the match and should have won long before extra time.

Now, their confidence has no limits, and they are warning Brazil not to underestimate them.

“We have no fear of Brazil. It’s just the name that’s big,” said AC Milan midfielder Umit Davala, who supplied the cross for Mansiz’ winning goal.

Ahn Jung-hwan, who scored the golden goal winner in the shock second round 2-1 victory over Italy, is included along with captain and defender Hong Myung-bo, midfielder Yoo Sang-chul and goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae.

The feared Brazilian three R’s — Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo — are also included along with German’s five-goal striker Miroslav Klose who takes on South Korea tomorrow in Seoul in the first semifinal.

Turkey, who contest a semifinal with favourites Brazil on Wednesday in Saitama, have keeper Rustu Recber, defender Alpay Ozalan and striker Hasan Sas included.

The Japanese midfield pairing of Hidetoshi Nakata and Junichi Inamoto were also in the 33 but surprisingly, England’s impressive defender Rio Ferdinand failed to win a place.

Pele, who won the World Cup three times in 1958, 1962 and 1970 with Brazil, will announce the final all-star World Cup team on June 28 in Yokohama, two days before the final in the same Japanese city.

The 10-strong panel of coaches is headed by respected coach Jozef Venglos who coached the former Czechoslovakia at the 1990 finals in Italy.

FIFA all-star team shortlist: Goalkeepers: Oliver Kahn (Germany), Marcos (Brazil), Iker Casillas (Spain), Rustu Recber (Turkey), Lee-Woon-jae (South Korea)

Defenders: Cafu (Brazil), Roberto Carlos (Brazil), Sol Campbell (England), Hong Myung-bo (South Korea), Alpay Ozalan (Turkey), Fernando Hierro (Spain), Johan Mjallby (Sweden)

Midfielders: David Beckham (England), Junichi Inamoto (Japan), Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan), Pape Malick Diop (Senegal), Claudio Reyna (USA), Michael Ballack (Germany), Yoo Sang-chul (South Korea), Marc Wilmots (Belgium).

Kim Yong-Il, head of the Seoul chapter of the Red Devils, said members were working on a giant slogan that will “really shock the world”.

Without giving away the message, Kim said it would be even more provocative than the “Again 1966” card display that thousands of fans put up in the second round match against Italy last week.

Italy’s coach Giovanni Trappatoni complained the reference to Italy’s 1-0 defeat by North Korea at the 1966 World Cup finals was intimidatory. But FIFA insisted it could do nothing as long as there was no racism or threat of physical violence.

The Red Devil’s message of welcome for opposing teams has become one of the biggest talking points at South Korea’s matches. In the group D match against Poland it was “Win 3-0.” For the USA it was “Go Kor 16” — an encouragement to reach the second round.

Against Spain in the quarter- final, the Red Devils toned down the provocation by declaring “Pride of Asia” which still captured the spirit of South Korea’s stunning progress through the tournament.

Red Devil leaders said the message for Germany would be kept secret until minutes before the semifinal in the Seoul World Cup Stadium which will be packed with more than 60,000 people.

“Our members are very tired as they have worked so many days and nights,” said Kim Yong-il. “However, we get refreshment when thinking of Korean players giving it their all. Our message this time will really shock the world,” he vowed.

In Rudi Voeller, Germany look to have a second footballing genius who stands on the threshold of a World Cup double triumph - first as player, then coach.

Voeller has to negotiate two more hurdles to achieve his goal - starting with tomorrow’s semifinal against South Korea, who will be backed by millions of fans sure to throng the streets of Seoul.

Yet, while Brazil are the favourites to lift the trophy, nobody is betting against the 42-year-old from Hanau, who scored more than 250 league goals in his career with Stuttgart Kickers, 1860 Munich, Werder Bremen, AS Roma, Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen.

Voller, the bane of defences in the German, Italian and French leagues for more than a decade, and urbane sophisticate Beckenbauer, who invented the role of the modern sweeper, have much in common.

Even down to both of them winning the world title as players at the same age of 29.

Beckenbauer, the eminence grise of Bayern Munich, who still wields enormous influence within the German federation, took over the stewardship of the national side without cutting his managerial teeth at club level, replacing Jupp Derwall in 1984.

Voeller similarly came in after a cocaine scandal prevented his then Leverkusen colleague Christoph Daum from replacing Erich Ribbeck after a disastrous Euro 2000.

Initially interim coach, Voller additionally was in charge at Leverkusen on a temporary basis with Daum having been forced to resign.

Voeller grappled with a national side which had seen confidence slide to an all time low after the Euro 2000 first-round exit. So quickly did he restore morale - save for a 1-5 home thrashing by England in the qualifiers — that Kicker magazine voted him its sports personality of the year.

Now Voeller, six short years after hanging up his boots, can go one better than Beckenbauer, who needed two World Cup campaigns to bring home the trophy. To do so he has to put some fire into the team’s belly, after a poor showing against the USA in the last round which drew criticism at home.

“We have a good chance to reach the final - but we will have to play much better if we really want to make it,” says Voeller, who nonetheless betrays some exasperation at the expectations which weigh upon his team. “People have to understand we can’t come in here and send every team packing just because we’re Germany,” he said as the team made final preparations for tomorrow’s match here.

Beckenbauer, who cannot help himself taking on the unofficial role of ‘back seat driver’ to whoever is in charge of the team, was renowned as a disciplinarian when he was in the hotseat.

And he had a clear message for Voeller here. “Rudi must tell the players their honour is at stake. If my team had played as this one did against the USA I’d have felt personally insulted,” said the Kaiser, who won 103 caps for Germany to Voeller’s 90 — though the latter as a striker outscored him 47 to 14.

Voeller agrees with the sentiment, if not quite so forcefully.

Earlier this year I predicted “a very, very unusual World Cup.” When I made that comment I was thinking more about the weather, the time differences and the co-host cultures. But in one sense I was right because no-one had forecast that great powers such as Argentina, France, Italy and Portugal would go home so early or that Japan, Senegal, South Korea and the USA would go so far so impressively.

Now, however, it is time for the World Cup to get real? Starting with Brazil. My fellow countrymen overcame their most dangerous remaining rival when they defeated England 2-1 in Shizuoka. The game left me with two emotions. I was pleased for Brazil but disappointed in England. I had expected more of David Beckham and his team. If you cannot rise to the occasion at the World Cup then you need to take a long, hard look at preparation, attitude and tactics.

I accept that England’s players had just completed a long hard season but so had the Germans, the Spaniards and many of the Brazilians who play in Europe. That excuse does not hold water now that so many World Cup players are contracted to European clubs. England’s failure to create even one chance against Brazil — Michael Owen’s goal was ‘given’ to him — was also a product of Brazil’s rapid improvement in defence. The difference compared with the first round was in the way Brazil’s midfield players provided so more much cover and support.

Gilberto and Kleberson, for instance, took much of the responsibility for shutting Beckham out of the game. Winning a World Cup requires more than world-class forwards such as Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho — it requires the sort of confidence-inspiring defence which Brazil are putting together. Suddenly they are twice the danger they were in the first round. On purely technical and tactical grounds I do believe that a historic fifth World Cup victory is in sight.

This is not to dismiss Turkey as opponents. They scored first in the opening round match which Brazil won 2-1. But the Turks qualified from the group stages as runners-up, they beat Japan only 1-0 in the second round and defeated Senegal on just a golden goal in the quarter-finals. For them, reaching the semi-finals is history. For all their tactical discipline and the ability of Hakan Sukur and Hasan Sas, I think Brazil is the favorite for this game.  But, then again, we’ve had a lot of surprises during this World Cup.

Turkey have improved 100 per cent since the opening round. But Brazil have improved at least twice or three times as much. The other semi-final also offers us newcomers in South Korea. But if anyone can halt the historic march of the Red Devils then it is Germany. Their record at the World Cup is amazing. They have appeared in the last four no fewer than nine times. That is the same as Brazil, yet the Germans have played in two fewer tournaments because they did not enter in 1930 and 1950.

The trouble is, the present team are not on the same level as most of their predecessors. I do not see a new Franz Beckenbauer or Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. They are well organised and work hard for each other but opponents are always encouraged when they know that your star player is — like Oliver Kahn — your goalkeeper. The Germans never put their game together against the USA in the quarter-finals. The Americans are difficult opponents because they are such tremendous athletes. But the Germans lacked the necessary skills to lift them to a more decisive victory.

Michael Ballack has been restricted by an injury he brought into the World Cup while Miroslav Klose has not looked as sharp in attack since injuring a knee in the first round. But these are not sufficient excuses for the struggle to beat the US. The most impressive feature of the Germans’ victory was the public acceptance afterwards by Kahn and coach Rudi Voller that they would need to play much better to win the semi-final. Why was that impressive? Because it showed a humble, realistic approach to the World Cup.

Remember, complacency and arrogance were the worst mistakes committed by other “giants” who went home at the end of the first round. This is one mistake the Germans will not make against the Koreans. I detected the first signs, in Korea’s quarter-final defeat of Spain, that they are starting to run out of steam. I thought an edge had gone from their work rate in the first half. Later they found some extra pace when they brought on Lee Chun Soo down the right wing. But they grew tired again in extra time.

Guus Hiddink has done a remarkable job as coach over the last few months. This time last year South Korea were a big disappointment in the Confederations Cup. I found it hard to believe they could be competitive in time to co-host the World Cup. Yet not only are they competitive physically and technically, they can now boast that they are one of the world’s top four footballing nations.

I am always reminded that once I suggested the day would not be far off when an African team would win the World Cup. Perhaps an Asian team will beat them to it. Though not, with due respect to the marvellous efforts of the Koreans, this year.

Agassi and Krajicek, now both in their early 30s and playing in their 12th and 11th Wimbledons, respectively, knew their way well enough around the lush lawns to see off the challenges of Israel’s Harel Levy and Franco Squillari of Argentina.

Third seed Agassi, 32, champion in 1992 and runner-up in 1999, busied himself on Centre Court to beat Levy 6-0, 6-4, 6-4, in 89 minutes.

The 31-year-old Krajicek, who won the title in 1996, used his towering 1.96-metre frame to serve and volley Squillari off Court Three 6-2, 7-5, 7-6.

Swedish number 14 seed Thomas Enqvist, a quarter-finalist of Wimbledon last year, cruised effortlessly into the second round today, dismissing the British wild card Arvind Parmar 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

Australian wild card Mark Philippoussis overcame a rusty display to beat Julien Boutter 6-3 3-6 6-1 6-2 in the first round at Wimbledon today. Philippoussis, who has restricted his tournament appearances this year following knee surgery, looked short of practice as his trusted service game failed to fire in the early sets.

French Open champion Serena Williams made short work of Evie Dominikovic at Wimbledon on Monday, winning their first round Centre Court encounter 6-1 6-1 in 42 minutes. Australian Dominikovic could find no answer to the 20-year-old American's powerful serve and searing groundstrokes, producing only three outright baseline winners and none on the volley.

Mary Pierce enjoyed her first grasscourt victory for two years on Monday as she battled past Australian Alicia Molik 6-4 4-6 8-6 to the reach the second round at Wimbledon. Third seed Jennifer Capriati began her Wimbledon campaign with a 6-1 6-4 first-round victory over Slovakia’s Janette Husarova.

New Zealand scored 243 in their second innings and now have two days to bowl out the West Indies. West Indies openers Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds survived four tense overs at the close, scoring five without loss.

The tourists, after scoring 337 in their first innings, were reined in by a plucky display of bowling from a West Indies attack missing strike bowler Merv Dillon for all but six overs of the day.

Dillon was selected despite a lower back strain that had been bothering him for several days.

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand (1st innings): 337

West Indies (1st innings): 107

New Zealand (2nd innings):

Vincent lbw b Collins 2

Richardson c Lara b Collins 0

Tuffey c Gayle b Hooper 31

Harris lbw b Powell 19

Astle c Lara b Collins 77

McMillan c Hooper b Collins 1

Fleming c Hinds b Sanford 34

Hart c Hinds b Collins 24

Vettori b Sanford 11

Bond not out 6

Butler c Jacobs b Collins 26

Extras: (lb-8, w-1, nb-3) 12

Total: (all out, 90.4 overs) 243

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-11, 3-48, 4-69, 5-88, 6-164, 7-181 8-205, 9-213.

Bowling: Collins 30.4-8-76-6, Powell 20-4-61-1, Dillon 6-3-11-0, Sanford 17-5-68-2, Hooper 17-8-19-1.

West Indies (2nd innings):

Gayle batting 0

Hinds batting 4

Extras: (w-1) 1

Total: (for no wicket, 4 overs) 5

SCOREBOARD

Kent:

Key st Dravid b Harbhajan 76

Hockley c Dravid b Yohannan 1

Symonds run out 75 

Fulton b Kumble 7 

Walker c and b Harbhajan 3 

Ealham not out 74

Jones b Kumble 20 

Golding c Mongia b Zaheer 3 

Tredwell lbw b Zaheer 1 

Amjad b Zaheer 7

Saggers b Zaheer 0 

Extras (lb-10, w-4, nb-3) 17 Total (all out, 50 overs) 284

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-138, 3-165, 4-167, 5-183, 6-225, 7-234, 8-237, 9-284.