In this quarter-final, South Korea deployed a 3-4-3 formation, utilizing three central defenders to combat Spain's attacking threat. This allowed them to press high and channel play towards Spain's flanks, disrupting their build-up play. Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo operated as wing-backs, providing width while also dropping back to support the defense. Spain, in a 4-2-3-1 setup, relied on Xavi and Joaquín to provide creativity behind the striker, Fernando Morientes. Spain dominated possession with calculated passing, but their inability to convert chances and the disallowed goal for Morientes proved critical. During the match, South Korea's organized defensive shape and intense pressing created problems for Spain, especially in transition phases, which allowed them to maintain the game's tension and eventually lead to a penalty shootout.