AFC Asian Cup 2023 updated knockout stage bracket: South Korea beat Australia

South Korea skipper Son Heung-min stepped up to lead his side to victory.

Another thrilling encounter took place at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. In the recently concluded match, South Korea achieved the unexpected by defeating the formidable Australian team 2-1 in the quarter-final game, securing a place in the semi-finals of the tournament.

Craig Goodwin opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, providing the Australian team with the lead, which they maintained until the closing moments of the match. However, they conceded a penalty in stoppage time, allowing Hwang Hee-Chan of South Korea to successfully convert the penalty and level the score, leading to extra time.

In the first extra time, South Korea was awarded a free kick just near the box. To the surprise of everyone, Son Heung-min managed to convert it into a goal in the 104th minute, ultimately enabling his team to take the lead in the game for the first time.

Australia then encountered a setback when Aiden O’Neill received a red card following a VAR review by the referee. This allowed the Korean team to maintain their lead, demonstrating composure and resilience to prevent Australia from scoring their second goal of the match.

Looking forward to the upcoming tournament match, the forthcoming quarter-final encounter between Iran and Japan promises to be intriguing. While Iran has showcased greater dominance in the tournament’s group stage, Japan demonstrated their capabilities in the round of 16 by securing a 3-1 victory over Bahrain.

On the opposite side of the bracket, Qatar will compete against Uzbekistan in the fourth quarter-final match. Despite Qatar being the stronger team on paper, Uzbekistan will be determined to capitalize on any chances created during the match.

As the tournament advances to the semi-final stage in the upcoming days, the matches are escalating in intensity and intrigue. With Jordan and South Korea having secured spots in the semi-finals, the forthcoming matches will determine the remaining two semi-finalists.

The first semifinal match between Jordan and South Korea is scheduled on February 6, 2024 at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium.

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