Ghana won an exhilarating match packed with twists and turns against South Korea in front of a vibrant crowd at Education City Stadium in Qatar.
A 10-minute spell in the first half by the African nation gave them a 2-0 lead courtesy of goals from Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu and Ajax's Mohammed Kudus.
However, noisy celebrations by Ghana fans at half time were dampened by a South Korea comeback after the break.
Two stunning headers in three minutes from Cho Gue-sung, the top scorer in his domestic league, levelled the game after 61 minutes.
But the impressive Kudus, who had deftly headed in Jordan Ayew's cross in the first half, added a final twist when he thumped in a third for Ghana to break South Korea's hearts.
Chances continued to fall South Korea's way as they searched for another equaliser but, despite 10 minutes of added time, Ghana held on.
Ghana scored three goals in a World Cup match for the first timeThere were emotional scenes at the final whistle as many South Korea players fell to the ground while manager Paulo Bento was sent off for arguing with English referee Anthony Taylor for not allowing a corner to be taken despite the 10 minutes having elapsed.
"We had the opportunity to have a corner kick, the referee took that opportunity away from us," assistant coach Sergio Costa said afterwards.
"Paulo [Bento] reacted, I was close by and he said nothing that was inappropriate to the referee. It was a reaction from a person that felt a lack of fairness at the end of the match.
"It is a normal reaction from someone that did everything to win and didn't. We can feel sad and we can feel a lack of justice. We gave our souls on the pitch."
In contrast, elated Ghana substitutes sprinted onto the pitch to celebrate as fans in the stand blew whistles and danced in celebration.
With Portugal to come next for South Korea, this feels a significant defeat, while Ghana - unfortunate to lose against Portugal - will face Uruguay in good spirits in their final game.
Dramatic ending to key match in Group H
Ghana fans were in great voice throughout and celebrated loudly at the endIt was a frenetic game from beginning to end as both teams enjoyed spells of pressure without ever gaining sustained control.
South Korea started quickly, winning numerous corners and getting star forward Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur on the ball regularly.
He was locked in a battle with young Brighton full-back Tariq Lamptey down the left wing but Ghana defended well and limited South Korea's chances.
Then came Ghana's two goals in 10 minutes and as Bento's side trudged off at half time, a way back into the game did not appear likely.
Southampton's Salisu pounced on a scramble in the box to poke in the opener after 24 minutes before Kudus flicked on Ayew's cross and sprinted to the corner flag in delirious celebration.
But Gue-sung suddenly had South Korea fans on their feet - with some even close to tears - as two superb headers brought the teams level and briefly silenced the dancing Ghana supporters.
The momentum was with South Korea but Kudus was clinical when he thumped in a third and decisive goal after team-mate Inaki Williams had missed a cross from the left.
Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi made several saves in the closing minutes as South Korea poured forward but to no avail.
The scenes at full time indicated the importance of the result to both teams, the real significance of which will be felt after the Uruguay-Portugal game in Monday's late kick-off in Group H.
"The second half was totally different. We had control, possession and opportunities to score but the result at the end is totally unfair," added South Korea's Costa.
"Not even a tie would have been fair. We clearly deserved to win. I think we can be very proud of what we did and can count on us in the next match."
Player of the match
LampteyTariq Lamptey
South Korea
Squad number9Player nameCho Gue-Sung
Squad number4Player nameKim Min-Jae
Squad number18Player nameLee Kang-In
Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-Min
Squad number3Player nameKim Jin-Su
Squad number5Player nameJung Woo-Young
Squad number25Player nameJeong Woo-Yeong
Squad number16Player nameHwang Ui-Jo
Squad number6Player nameHwang In-Beom
Squad number17Player nameNa Sang-Ho
Squad number15Player nameKim Moon-Hwan
Squad number19Player nameKim Young-Gwon
Squad number22Player nameKwon Chang-Hoon
Squad number20Player nameKwon Kyung-Won
Squad number1Player nameKim Seung-gyu
Ghana
Squad number2Player nameLamptey
Squad number20Player nameKudus
Squad number4Player nameSalisu
Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew
Squad number10Player nameA Ayew
Squad number1Player nameAti-Zigi
Squad number18Player nameAmartey
Squad number21Player nameAbdul Samed
Squad number5Player namePartey
Squad number14Player nameMensah
Squad number19Player nameWilliams
Squad number22Player nameSulemana
Squad number8Player nameKyereh
Squad number23Player nameDjiku
Squad number17Player nameBaba
Squad number3Player nameOdoi
Line-ups
South Korea
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Kim Seung-gyu
15Kim4Kim19Kim Young-Gwon3Kim
5Jung Woo-Young6Hwang
22Kwon25Jeong7Son Heung-Min
9Cho
1Kim Seung-gyu15Kim4KimSubstituted forKwonat 90+2'minutes19Kim Young-GwonBooked at 77mins3Kim5Jung Woo-YoungBooked at 27minsSubstituted forHwangat 79'minutes6Hwang22KwonSubstituted forLeeat 57'minutes25JeongSubstituted forNaat 45'minutes7Son Heung-Min9ChoSubstitutes
2Yoon8Paik10Lee Jae-Sung11Hwang Hee-Chan12Song13Son14Hong Chul16Hwang17Na18Lee20Kwon21Cho Hyun-Woo23Kim24Cho26SongGhana
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Ati-Zigi
2Lamptey18Amartey4Salisu14Mensah
5Partey21Abdul Samed
20Kudus10A Ayew9J Ayew
19Williams
1Ati-Zigi2LampteyBooked at 73minsSubstituted forOdoiat 78'minutes18AmarteyBooked at 21mins4Salisu14MensahSubstituted forBabaat 88'minutes5Partey21Abdul Samed20KudusSubstituted forDjikuat 83'minutes10A AyewSubstituted forKyerehat 78'minutes9J AyewSubstituted forSulemanaat 78'minutes19WilliamsSubstitutes
3Odoi6Owusu7Fatawu8Kyereh11Bukari12Danlad13Afriyie15Aidoo16Nurudeen17Baba22Sulemana23Djiku24Sowah25Semenyo26SeiduReferee:Anthony TaylorAttendance:43,983Live Text
Match ends, Korea Republic 2, Ghana 3.
Second Half ends, Korea Republic 2, Ghana 3.
Corner, Korea Republic. Conceded by Salis Abdul Samed.
Attempt blocked. Kwon Kyung-Won (Korea Republic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Hwang In-Beom.
Attempt missed. Lee Kang-In (Korea Republic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Corner, Korea Republic. Conceded by Abdul Rahman Baba.
Kwon Kyung-Won (Korea Republic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Iñaki Williams (Ghana).
Foul by Cho Gue-Sung (Korea Republic).
Alexander Djiku (Ghana) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Kim Jin-Su (Korea Republic) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kim Young-Gwon with a cross.
Hwang In-Beom (Korea Republic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Kamaldeen Sulemana (Ghana).
Corner, Korea Republic. Conceded by Lawrence Ati-Zigi.
Attempt saved. Cho Gue-Sung (Korea Republic) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Lee Kang-In.
Corner, Korea Republic. Conceded by Denis Odoi.
Kwon Kyung-Won (Korea Republic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Iñaki Williams (Ghana).
Substitution, Korea Republic. Kwon Kyung-Won replaces Kim Min-Jae.
Attempt saved. Na Sang-Ho (Korea Republic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kim Jin-Su.
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