DUBAI • Son Heung-min's South Korea needed an extra-time winner to beat world No. 113 Bahrain 2-1 yesterday as they stumbled into the Asian Cup quarter-finals in unconvincing fashion.
Substitute Kim Jin-su's diving header at the end of the first extra period proved the difference as the two-time champions met unexpected resistance in Dubai.
But Paulo Bento's side, runners-up in 2015 and one of the favourites for the title, survived to reach the last eight, where they will face Qatar or 2007 winners Iraq.
Tottenham Hotspur star Son took a boot to the head as he weathered some robust challenges in a first half South Korea dominated with 73 per cent of possession.
Bahrain gave the Koreans an early scare with Mohamed Marhoon's stinging shot, as the Asian powerhouses took time to settle into their rhythm.
Son then started to make his presence felt with some typically direct running which caused panic in the Bahrain defence.
South Korea broke the deadlock two minutes before half-time when Son laid off to Lee Yong whose cross was parried by Bahrain goalkeeper Sayed Shubbar Alawi to Hwang Hee-chan, who duly converted the easy chance.
South Korea threatened to run riot after the break before Bahrain hit back and it took a magnificent stop from Kim Seung-gyu to keep out Jamal Rashed's effort.
And, against all expectations, Bahrain drew level with 13 minutes remaining, when Mohamed Al-Romaihi smashed in the rebound from Mahdi Al-Humaidan's shot.
Hwang Ui-jo nearly snatched the victory in injury time when a defensive mix-up put him one on one with Alawi, but he spooned his shot wide to set up the additional 30 minutes of play.
South Korea's first goal had been their only shot on target, but they looked determined to put that right and substitute Lee Seung-woo should have done better when he was set up in the box by Son's strong run.
Bahrain goalkeeper Alawi withdrew with an apparent hamstring injury but, one of the first tasks for his replacement, Abdulkarim Fardan, was to pick the ball out of the net.
Left-back Kim found time and space to steady himself and drive home a header from Lee Yong's cross, a goal which the team celebrated by holding up the No. 16 shirt of injured Newcastle United midfielder Ki Sung-yueng.
Ju Se-jong also rammed a shot against the post in a positive finish for the Koreans and, while they celebrated their victory, there were tears from the Bahrainis at the final whistle.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Sep 22, 2017 · WASHINGTON — If North Korea follows through on its threat to conduct an atmospheric nuclear test, it would be a far more dangerous step than anything Kim Jong-un, its leader, has attempted
TIL North Korea has a "three generations of punishment
North Korea PANIC: Kim sends right-hand man for EMERGENCY US summit talks NORTH Korea is scrambling to save next month's historic summit with the US, with Kim Jong-un sending his right-hand man
Paulinho squeezes Guangzhou into last 16, super-sub
There is one simple reason why South Korea and the USA do not take out Kim Jong Il and his crew. It is because the North Korean army has thousands of heavy artillery pieces dug deep into the hillsides north of Seoul. No matter what else happens, the first event of a war against the north would be a terrible devastation of Seoul.
Dream debut for 18-year-old supersub as Northern Ireland
Super-sub Kim sends below-par Koreans into last eight. Jan 23, 2019, 5:00 am. Football: Saudi Arabia pay price for profligacy as Japan reach quarter-finals for eighth consecutive Asian Cup.
North Korea US summit panic: Kim sends right-hand man for
At Least Eight Reasons Why the Talk of North Korea Leveling Seoul Is Simply Wrong. Posted at 11:59 pm on August 9, 2017 by streiff
Prospect of Atmospheric Nuclear Test by North Korea Raises
Former Barcelona star Paulinho edged two-time winners Guangzhou Evergrande into the AFC Champions League last 16 Wednesday, while title-holders Kashima Antlers had to come from a goal behind to
Supersub Smyth stars as Northern Ireland stun South Korea
Sep 10, 2014 · The Guardian - Back to home expected to pick up the tab for the food needs of the seven to eight million North Koreans Cut off aid and North Korea could strike out as a last ditch effort
Super-sub Kim sends below-par Koreans into last eight
Dream debut for 18-year-old supersub as Northern Ireland snatch late victory over Korea which saw a Korean send the ball over his own line: as Korea awaited a free-kick into their box, Ward
Should the world fund food aid to North Korea? - The Guardian
Paul Smyth was Northern Ireland's hero after coming off the bench to mark his international debut with the winning goal against World Cup-bound South Korea in Belfast on Saturday. There were just
At Least Eight Reasons Why the Talk of North Korea Leveling
Super-sub Kim sends below-par Koreans into last eight. But Paulo Bento's side, runners-up in 2015 and one of the favourites for the title, survived to reach the last eight, where they will
Latest ASIAN CUP | The Straits Times
No comments:
Post a Comment