South Korea's Rim Chang-woo lashed home the winner in the last minute of extra time to give the Asian Games hosts a 1-0 win over fierce rivals North Korea in the final of the men's soccer tournament on Thursday.
The scrappy goal at the end of 120 tense minutes sent South Korea's wide-eyed players raging around the pitch in a crazed mix of relief and joy, while their shattered opponents dropped to their knees in tears, beating the ground in despair.
Just 24 hours earlier, South Koreans had come out in force to support the North in the women's final against Japan, waving flags, hanging banners and singing of their desire for unification of the divided peninsula.
But there was no time for harmony or sentiments of Korean nationhood on Thursday.
This was a frantic, full-blooded Korean derby complete with meaty challenges, short-tempered skirmishes and a South Korean crowd in full voice demanding victory over the North.
The visitors had the best chance of regulation when Pak Kwang Ryong bulleted a header off the bar in the 75th minute, and while the South dictated the pace and possession they rarely troubled North Korean goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk.
The tension somehow rose in extra time, with North Korean coach Yun Jong Su kicking out at a water bottle and remonstrating with an assistant referee, and just when it looked like a penalty shootout was coming the South grabbed the winner.
North Korea's exhausted defenders failed to clear a corner and the ball fell to Rim, who smashed it home from close range to bring an enormous roar of relief from the 47,000 crowd.
After receiving their gold medals, which frees them from two years of military service, South Korea's players draped themselves in their country's flag and did a lap of honour, before throwing coach Lee Kwang-jong in the air in celebration.
Lee paid tribute to his team for winning South Korea's first gold since the 1986 Asiad in Seoul and praised towering striker Kim Shin-wook, who has been struggling with injury but made an impact as a late substitute.
"I would like to applaud our team for winning gold for the first time in 28 years," he said at a news conference.
"I thought Kim Shin-wook could be our joker in the pack in the second half and I've been watching him and his condition is not so good. Thankfully, he helped the team in the final so I'm happy about that.
"I think our players missed good chances in front of goal so we have to work on our composure."
Political tensions between North and South are high and the two states are still technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
Sports exchanges between the two are becoming more common, though sometimes do more harm than good.
A 2008 World Cup qualifier had to be moved from North Korea to China after the North refused to fly the flag or play the anthem of the South before kick-off.
A return qualifier a year later resulted in a win for South Korea amid accusations from the North that they had been poisoned by their opponents, who denied the claims.
Shortly before the Incheon Asian Games began, South Korea's government issued a stern reminder to its citizens that they were banned from carrying the North Korean flag.
On Wednesday during the women's final, plain-clothed security personnel swooped in on a man who unfurled a large North Korean flag, whisking him away for questioning.
Against this backdrop of intrigue, the match at Munhak Stadium was a sellout and fans began filing in more than two hours before kick-off.
Crack troops with automatic weapons and sniffer dogs patrolled the grounds, sweeping for danger, while hundreds of young police conscripts were on standby outside.
North Korea had needed extra time to beat Iraq in the semi-final and that win came at a cost as leading striker Jong Il Gwan was sent off and suspended for the final.
His absence was keenly felt as North Korea struggled to break down the South's sturdy defence.
North Korean coach Yun has been critical of the refereeing at the Asian Games and did not hold back at the news conference.
"I want to tell everyone here at this news conference that referees must give fairer decisions," he told reporters.
"In the previous game with Iraq there were several wrong decisions and I saw more today.
"Referees should not give preferential treatment to the home team."
