Captain Son Heung-min Leads Team to Win in Dramatic Quarterfinal Match

Courtesy of KFA

In the AFC Asian Cup quarterfinals, Korea secured a 2-1 victory against Australia in extra time, with Captain Son Heung-min scoring a crucial free-kick goal in the 104th minute. The match, held at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, south of Doha, saw Hwang Hee-chan scoring a last-gasp equalizer on a penalty drawn by Son.

Korea, led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, now moves closer to ending their 64-year title drought in the continental tournament. The team is set to face Jordan in the semifinals at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan. The match is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday or midnight Wednesday, Korea time. 

▲ Courtesy of KFAThe victory comes after Korea played 120 minutes in consecutive matches, having previously needed extra time and a penalty shootout to defeat Saudi Arabia in the round of 16. The team's resilience and spirit were praised by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who expressed satisfaction with the hard-fought victory.

Graham Arnold, Australia's coach, acknowledged the emotional and devastating loss for his side. Despite a strong performance in the first 90 minutes, Australia conceded a penalty that led to Korea's equalizer, ultimately shifting the momentum in favor of the Taegeuk Warriors.

The match featured an early edge in ball possession for Korea, countered by Australia's close chances, notably by midfielder Connor Metcalfe. Australia took the lead with a left-footed volley from Craig Goodwin in the 42nd minute, capitalizing on an error by Hwang In-beom.

Korea had a goal disallowed in the 31st minute due to an offside ruling, and they struggled to find the equalizer until Hwang Hee-chan's stoppage-time penalty leveled the score. Son Heung-min's perfectly executed free-kick in extra time secured the 2-1 lead.

Mitch Duke had opportunities to extend Australia's lead, but Korea's goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo made crucial saves. The match ended on a sour note for Australia, with Aiden O'Neill receiving a straight red card in the late moments of the first extra period.

In a setback for Korea, Bayern Munich center back Kim Min-jae received his second yellow card of the tournament just before Hwang's equalizer, rendering him ineligible for the semifinal against Jordan.

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