Son Heung-min Leads Thirsty South Korea to Victory Over Australia, Advancing to Asian Cup Semi-Finals
In a stunning Friday clash at Al-Janoub Stadium in Qatar, South Korea secured their spot in the Asian Cup 2023 semi-finals with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Australia, effectively knocking the Socceroos out of the quarter-finals.
Australia was moments away from sealing their semi-final berth after Craig Goodwin broke the deadlock with a direct strike at the end of the first half, capitalizing on a defensive lapse from the South Korean side. Their lead stood after a South Korean goal was disallowed by the VAR for offside.
Mirroring their tenacity shown against Saudi Arabia in the round of 16, South Korea salvaged an equalizer in second-half stoppage time, this time from the penalty spot. Tottenham Hotspur's talisman Son Heung-min earned the penalty, which was converted by Hwang Hee-chan, extending the match to extra time.
Towards the end of the first half of extra time, Son delivered the decisive blow, curling in a free-kick at the edge of the penalty area to punish the Australian team for wasting several significant opportunities in the second half.
The Socceroos' woes intensified with the dismissal of Aiden O'Neill during the dying moments of the first extra time period following a harsh challenge on Hwang Hee-chan. Despite being a man down and several chances presenting themselves, South Korea did not add to their tally in the second half of extra time, settling for a 2-1 scoreline.
South Korea’s triumph sets them up for a semi-final faceoff with Jordan, who earlier in the day made history by reaching their first-ever semi-finals with a 1-0 win against Tajikistan. The semi-final fixture is slated for Tuesday, February 6, 2024.
German coach Jurgen Klinsmann aims to end the "Taeguk Warriors'" 64-year wait for the Asian Cup title. South Korea has not captured the title since 1960, but Klinsmann expressed optimism, saying, "I believe we are ready for this very big event. It's been 64 years, and that's a very long time for Korea. The time has come for us to accomplish the task."
Mirroring their tenacity shown against Saudi Arabia in the round of 16, South Korea salvaged an equalizer in second-half stoppage time, this time from the penalty spot. Tottenham Hotspur's talisman Son Heung-min earned the penalty, which was converted by Hwang Hee-chan, extending the match to extra time.
Towards the end of the first half of extra time, Son delivered the decisive blow, curling in a free-kick at the edge of the penalty area to punish the Australian team for wasting several significant opportunities in the second half.
The Socceroos' woes intensified with the dismissal of Aiden O'Neill during the dying moments of the first extra time period following a harsh challenge on Hwang Hee-chan. Despite being a man down and several chances presenting themselves, South Korea did not add to their tally in the second half of extra time, settling for a 2-1 scoreline.
South Korea’s triumph sets them up for a semi-final faceoff with Jordan, who earlier in the day made history by reaching their first-ever semi-finals with a 1-0 win against Tajikistan. The semi-final fixture is slated for Tuesday, February 6, 2024.
German coach Jurgen Klinsmann aims to end the "Taeguk Warriors'" 64-year wait for the Asian Cup title. South Korea has not captured the title since 1960, but Klinsmann expressed optimism, saying, "I believe we are ready for this very big event. It's been 64 years, and that's a very long time for Korea. The time has come for us to accomplish the task."
