In a dramatic turn of events, Son Heung-min’s brilliant extra-time free-kick secured South Korea’s place in the Asian Cup semi-finals, rescuing them from the brink of elimination against Australia. The Socceroos, who had held a 1-0 lead for most of the match, were left stunned as Korea Republic mounted a late comeback.
Australia seemed poised for victory with a 1-0 lead, courtesy of Craig Goodwin’s volley from Nathaniel Atkinson’s cross. However, South Korea leveled the score with a penalty in the dying moments of stoppage time, and Son Heung-min’s stunning free-kick in extra time secured their passage to the semi-finals.
The victory sets up a semi-final clash for South Korea against Jordan. Despite being seconds away from elimination, South Korea’s resilience and Son Heung-min’s brilliance have kept their Asian Cup dreams alive.
The match took a dramatic turn when Son was fouled by Lewis Miller, leading to Hwang Hee-chan’s 96th-minute penalty that sent the game into extra time. Tottenham’s Son proved to be the difference, curling in a sensational free-kick to beat Mat Ryan in Qatar.
Australia’s hopes further diminished as Aiden O’Neill received a red card from the video assistant referee for a dangerous foul, leaving them with 10 men.
South Korea, Asian Cup champions in 1960, had previously faced the threat of elimination in the last 16 but secured victory against Saudi Arabia on penalties.
The win may alleviate some pressure on coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who has faced criticism from Korean fans since his appointment a year ago.
In the upcoming semi-final on Tuesday, South Korea will face Jordan, who secured their place by defeating Asian Cup debutants Tajikistan with a historic 1-0 win.
As the Asian Cup unfolds, the quarter-finals continue with Iran facing Japan and hosts Qatar taking on Uzbekistan in Saturday’s matchups. The tournament promises more thrilling encounters as teams vie for the prestigious title.
