Uruguay into last eight

Suarez gave his side an eighth-minute lead only for Lee Chung-yong to level midway through the second-half in driving rain at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

But the Ajax striker scored a superb winner 10 minutes from time as the South Americans set up a last-eight clash with either the United States or Ghana.

The Koreans had conceded six goals in their last two group games and went to sleep early to allow Suarez to sweep home from close range.

Keeper Jung Sung-ryong came out but failed to collect Diego Forlan's cross from the left and, despite Korea having six men in the penalty, area Suarez was left alone to tap home from a tight angle.

Suarez could have had a first-half hat-trick, an errant offside flag denying him a clean run at goal, while he should have done better when he ghosted between the two central defenders but failed to make decisive contact with his close-range header.

Uruguay also had strong appeals for a penalty rejected when Maximiliano Pereira's shot hit the arm of Ki Sung-yong.

Korea's best chance of the first-half came as early as the fifth minute when Park Chu-young's curling free-kick hit the outside of the post.

Uruguay did not concede a goal in the group stage and were content to sit back and protect their lead after the break.

But they invited pressure and Park Chu-young blasted over when well placed before Fernando Muslera dived full length to his left to save Park Ji-sung's header

Suarez was increasingly isolated in attack and the tactic backfired when Korea equalised from a goalkeeping mistake.

A free-kick from the left was headed into the air and Muslera came off his line to collect but got nowhere near the ball and Bolton's Lee Chung-yong beat the keeper and Diego Lugano to the header and nodded into the empty net.

Lee Chung-yong then should have had his second as he ran straight past Jorge Fucile to collect a through ball only to shoot straight at Muslera.

But Uruguay came out of their shell and Suarez found himself alone eight yards from goal as Fucile hoisted a ball back into the area but he failed to hit the target with his header.

"Salto" made a mess of that chance but his winning goal was sublime as he collected a knock down from a corner, cut inside Kim Jung-woo to work the ball onto his right foot and curled the ball into the corner, off the inside of the post.

Suarez, the Dutch league's top scorer this season with 35 goals, celebrated wildly by jumping over - and possibly on - the heads of the photographers.

Korea did have a golden chance to equalise but substitute Lee Dong-gook, who failed to score in 23 appearances for Middlesbrough, scuffed his first-time shot and, although the ball slipped under the body of Muslera, Lugano was on hand to hack clear.

The final whistle went and Uruguay, who were the last of the 32 teams to book their place in the finals, became the first to reach the quarter-finals.

Goals 2-1

1st Half Goals 1-0

Shots on Target 7-4

Shots off Target 4-7

Blocked Shots 3-4

Corners 3-3

Fouls 12-12

Offsides 1-0

Yellow Cards 0-3

Red Cards 0-0

Passing Success 69.2%-76.1%

Tackles 34-15

Tackles Success 64.7%-86.7%

Possession 40.2%-59.8%

Territorial Advantage 43.4%-56.6%