Seoul, South Korea ? Only one thing could have stopped the singing, swaying sea of red. It came in the 75th minute off the foot of German midfielder Michael Ballack, no stranger to breaking hearts.

Ending the most improbable run in a surprising World Cup, Germany advanced to its record seventh final with a 1-0 victory against co-host South Korea on Tuesday.

Germany's Michael Ballack blasts the winning goal past South Korean goalkeeper Lee Woon Jae and defender Yoo Sang Chul. Germany advanced to its record-setting seventh World Cup final with Tuesday's 1-0 victory at the Seoul World Cup stadium in Seoul, South Korea.

“It was absolutely fantastic,” Germany defender Carsten Ramelow said. “We are proud to have beaten not only 11 Korean players but the 64,000 spectators.”

South Korea didn’t get to paint the nation red for yet another all-night celebration by its millions of devoted fans.

Instead, it was the Germans in white jerseys who repeatedly took victory laps at Seoul World Cup Stadium, thanks to the goal from Ballack off a rebound of his own shot. His game-winner came four days after he eliminated the United States with a goal on a header in the Germans’ 1-0 victory in the quarterfinals.

Little was expected from this team, but now it will get a chance to win a fourth World Cup for its country the first for a united German team and get the respect accorded the West German champions of 1954, 1974 and 1990.

The Germans were just too experienced and well organized for South Korea, controlling the ball and doing most of the attacking to advance to Sunday’s final against Brazil or Turkey in Yokohama, Japan.

They will seek to equal Brazil’s record for World Cup championships, but will do so without Ballack, suspended after getting his second yellow card of the knockout round. Four minutes before the goal, Lee Chun-soo got away from Torsten Frings and went around Ramelow, and Ballack pulled down Lee just outside the penalty area.

“My first thoughts are bitterness,” said Ballack, who cried in the locker room after the game. “My dream was to play in the final, but now that will not be.”

Germany scored after Bernd Schneider intercepted Kim Tae-young’s pass and sent it ahead to Oliver Neuville, who ran down the right flank, drawing two defenders. He went almost to the end of the field, then bent the ball back to the center.

Ballack, unmarked, charged toward the goal and his initial low, right-footed shot off the pass was saved by sliding goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae. But the hard rebound went right to Ballack, who volleyed in a left-footed shot from about 8 yards for his third goal of the tournament.

“In the world, very few people would have placed much money on us going through to the final, and so it’s satisfying for us to prove them wrong,” Ballack said. “Despite the criticisms that were leveled at us because of the lack of style, lack of flair … I think today’s game really proved to the world that we are in the World Cup for something.”

A month ago, South Korea’s dream was just to win a World Cup game after going 0-10-4 in five previous appearances. But after beating Poland, Portugal, Italy and Spain, the “Red Devils” had hopes as large as the 40-by-60-yard South Korean flag unfurled during the national anthem. They were hoping to become the first team not from Europe or South America to play in a World Cup final.

On Tuesday, the 52nd anniversary of the start of the Korean War, this “Land of the Morning Calm” certainly wasn’t. Seven million of the 47 million population was out on the streets, watching on 400 giant televisions, and thousands staked out their sidewalk spaces more than eight hours in advance.

When it was over, many of the South Korean players collapsed, but seconds later they bounced back up.

German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, who had another standout night for his fifth shutout of the tournament, warmly wrapped an arm around 21-year-old forward Cha Doo-ri. Cha’s father, Cha Bum-kun, is South Korea’s most famous player, a former star in the top German league.

“We did our best,” South Korea captain Hong Myung-bo said. “We have come this far due to the fervent support of our fans. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts.”