Shattered Socceroos knocked out of Asian Cup by Son-inspired South Korea

The Socceroos were only a few minutes away from reaching an Asian Cup semi-final but instead it was South Korea who fought back to end Australia’s tournament.

Tottenham star Son Hueng-min has ended the Socceroos’ dreams of Asian Cup glory with a superb quarter-final display for South Korea.

The Taeguk Warriors advanced to a semi-final date with Jordan with a 2-1 win at Al Janoub Stadium.

However, for so long it seemed that it was going to be the Australians reaching the tournament’s last four after winger Craig Goodwin, who had been recalled to the starting side, had given the Socceroos the lead in the 42nd minute.

Australia had several second-half chances to increase their lead but they were wasted by Martin Boyle and Mitch Duke.

And those blown opportunities would come back to haunt the Socceroos, who were just minutes away from winning the game when South Korea’s talisman Son enticed substitute Lewis Miller into needlessly fouling him and giving away a penalty.

Despite Miller’s protests, Omani referee Ahmed Al-Kaf’s decision to award the spot kick wasn’t overturned by the VAR, with Hwang Hee-chan converting the penalty to send the contest into extra-time.

And it was another Miller foul that led to Son scoring the match-winning goal with a sublime free-kick that was too good for Socceroos goalkeeper and captain Mat Ryan in the 104th minute.

Rubbing further salt into the Socceroos wounds was a red card shown to substitute Aiden O’Neill a few minutes later for a foul on Hwang.

Referee Al-Kaf initially gave O’Neill a yellow card, but changed the colour to red – and an instant dismissal – after being encouraged by the VAR to watch video footage that showed O’Neill’s studs had caught the inside of Hwang’s ankle.

Son Heung-min starred for South Korea against the Socceroos. Picture: Giuseppe CACACE / AFP

It was a heart-breaking end to Australia’s Asian Cup campaign, with the Socceroos having also been knocked out at the quarter-final stage in the 2019 edition of the tournament.

However, it was a gutsy and gritty display from the Koreans, who had two full days less to prepare for the final and were also forced to survive 120 minutes, plus a penalty shootout, in a marathon round-of-16 affair against Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, the Socceroos went ahead late in the first half after making the most of a mistake from Korean midfielder Hwang In-beom.

Hwang coughed up possession on the edge of his penalty area with a lazy pass that was pounced on by Goodwin.

The Socceroos then patiently knocked the ball around the box searching for an opening, which came when right-back Nathaniel Atkinson floated the ball into the path of Goodwin, whose first-time volley hit the back of the net.

The Australians should have doubled their lead in the 54th minute, however Boyle was twice foiled by Korean goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, before Duke blazed a shot over the crossbar.

Duke also had a chance in the 84th minute from a Jordan Bos cross but couldn’t direct his header on target.

The missed opportunities were to prove costly for the Socceroos, whose hopes of winning the Asian Cup for a second time were extinguished soon after.

Originally published as Shattered Socceroos knocked out of Asian Cup by Son-inspired South Korea