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)

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 in Hanover yesterday.

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.

"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."

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.

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.

"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.

Philippe Senderos had opened the scoring for the Swiss on the 23rd minute as the Arsenal defender rose above everybody to head directly home a free kick from Hakan Yakin, butting heads with Choi Jin Cheul and earning a bloody face in the process.

He never stopped smiling even as the blood streamed down his face while he walked off the pitch to get the cut washed.

"It was a very intense match, South Korea are a good team and we were a bit lucky at times, but we deserved the win I think overall," Swiss coach Kobi Kuhn said.

"We deservedly won and now we're proud to be in the top 16 in the world," Frei said.

Swiss goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbuehler came out the only goalie not conceding a goal so far at the tournament.

"I'm proud of the team, I'm proud of not letting in a goal and above all I'm proud of reaching the second round," he said. "Being the only keeper not to let in a goal is of course a great bonus."

It's Yakin, however, who made the differences with his set-pieces, especially at the first half.

The Swiss should have extended the lead earlier before the interval, just a quarter after their first goal, when another free kick was awarded in 38 minutes after Kim Jin-Kyu went in late on Ricardo Cabanas and joined Chu-Young Park on a yellow card.

Yakin came to the spot and shot on goal from 30 meters to forceLee Woon Jae slapped it out for a corner, which was again driven by Yakin and the ball deflected off Kim Dong Jin to fly wide.

The 29-year-old came as a starter for Switzerland after their influencial midfielder Daniel Gygax was sidelined by badly bruised stomach muscles.

Yakin had impressed at his team's previous game against Togo as a substitute to Gygax and Friday's match was the first time for him in nine months after enduring an injury-ravaged time.

With one of the youngest squads at the World Cup, the Swiss have viewed this tournament as a chance to gain experience for Euro 2008.

Switzerland earn a last 16 clash with Ukraine in Cologne next Monday, while France take Spain in Hanover next Tuesday.