Australia 1 South Korea 2 (AET) - Highlights
Son Heung-min stole the show as South Korea secured a 2-1 extra-time win over Australia to reach the semi-finals of the AFC Asian Cup
Son Heung-min won a penalty and scored a sensational extra-time free-kick as South Korea resucused victory from the jaws of defeat in a frantic 2-1 win over Australia at Al Janoub stadium on Friday evening.
It was Australia who showed early signs of quality with the contest just three minutes old. Craig Goodwin floated in a free-kick which was just missed by dangerman Harry Souttar. The opening exchanges belonged to South Korea who enjoyed 70% of the possession but failed to create any clear-cut chances early on.
Australia on the other hand looked dangerous on the counter, Connor Metcalfe found space at the edge of the box, but his speculative strike bobbled wide, whilst Craig Goodwin tested South Korea keeper Jo Hyeon-woo from a distance and he palmed the shot away but Metcalfe failed to capitalize on the rebound.
South Korea found their stride and thought they opened the scoring when Seol Young-woo rolled the ball to Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan, but he was rightly flagged offside and was confirmed later by VAR with the finest of margins. Australia grew in confidence and Metcalfe spurned his third chance of the game on the 40th minute mark. Moments later, Australia had an opening with a well-crafted goal. Metcalfe was at the center of things picking out Nathaniel Atkinson on the wing, his deep cross picked out Craig Goodwin, and a crisp volley put the Socceroos ahead.
The second half saw South Korea desperately search for parity, Jurgen Klinnsmanns team held the ball and pushed Australia back deeper into their own half. PSG man Lee Kang-in grabbed the first chance as the ball dropped to the attacker in the box, Matty Ryan gladly gathered the tame strike. Australia too had a golden moment to put the contest out of sight as a deep cross found the head of Martin Boyle which was saved by Jo Hyeon-woo, the rebound fell to Boyle who was saved again and bobbled out to Mitchell Duke with his chance flying over the bar.
Tottenham star Son Heung-min stepped and surged with intent into the Australian box time and time again, but the Socceroos backline was resolute. Lee Kang-in dinked a perfect ball into the path of substitute Lee Jae-sung but the ball skipped away from his foot at the vital moment, Matty Ryan got down and gathered.
With the contest coming to a close Mitchell Duke spurned yet another perfect chance to put the contest beyond any doubt, but the attacker painfully put his diving header wide, when it was laid onto him perfectly by strike partner Martin Boyle. South Korea continued to probe and press, switching the ball diligently but every time an Australian defender was there to step out and clear. The drama came in the third minute of stoppage time as Son Heung-min fell under a challenge from Lewis Miller, leaving the referee little choice to point for a penalty. Hwang Hee-chan stepped up and confidently dispatched the penalty, and somehow South Korea rescued it and sent the contest to extra time.
South Korea's dominance continued into extra time. A double save by Matty Ryan from Hwang Hee-chan and then Lee Kang-in just underlined that. Soon after Lee Jae-sung found space on the edge of the box, but his fierce first-time strike was always going wide. Then with 104 minutes on the clock, Son Heung-min had his decisive say in the contest standing over a free-kick and a waft of his right foot the ball curved into the top corner and out of the reach of Ryan. A red card for Australian substitute Aiden O'Neill further swung the contest in the favour of the Taegeuk Warriors.
In the end, it was yet another drama-filled evening for South Korea in Qatar, who will gather plenty of heart by the nature of how they snatched a vital win thanks to the workrate and magic of Son Heung-min. Jordan awaits in the semi-finals.