Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Canberra: Korea Republic became the first team through to the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 after they defeated Kuwait 1-0 at Canberra Stadium on Tuesday courtesy of a goal from Nam Tae-hee. Match highlights: Kuwait 0-1 Korea Republic Click here for match summary
The midfielder’s breakthrough came on 35 minutes from a bullet header but Kuwait will once again be ruing the woodwork after they hit the post early in the second half through Ali Al Maqseed after having similar misfortune in their opening loss to Australia on Friday.
The result means that because of their superior head-to-head record against both Kuwait and Group A’s other West Asian side, Oman, who were also beaten 1-0 on Saturday, the South Koreans are assured of a place in the knockout stage of the continental competition, regardless of their result against Australia on Saturday.
Kuwait, though, are now eliminated from the tournament and will be playing for pride against Oman in their final group stage tie at Newcastle Stadium after their defeat in Australia’s capital.
Ahead of the game in Canberra, both coaches had rung the changes with Uli Stielike bringing in seven new starters due to a swathe of injuries and illness to key players including Lee Chung-yong and Son Heung-min.
Kuwait, too, also saw new faces at both ends of the field with defenders Amer Al Matoug and Fahad Awad coming in, as well as forwards Abdullah Al Buraiki and Yousef Naser – all four making their first starts of the campaign.
Having lost their Group A opener, the onus was on Kuwait to attack but their early attempts were snuffed out by the Korean backline as the first period began in cagey fashion with little goal-mouth action.
But by the half hour mark, the match finally came into life as Kim Min-woo sent Lee Keun-ho through on goal, but Kuwait goalkeeper Hameed Youssef stood up well to get a hand to the Korean striker’s attempted lob and he batted the ball over the crossbar.
The warning was not heeded by Kuwait and in their next attack the Koreans took the lead. Kim Min-woo found Cha Du-ri on the right flank and the full back set off on a lung-busting run before whipping in a cross that was met by a towering header from Nam that Youssef could not keep out.
The breakthrough sent confidence flowing through the East Asians and they easily played out the remainder of the first period.
But the Korean’s composure was almost shattered within the first three minutes of the second half as Al Maqseed hit a sublime shot from the right-hand corner of the penalty area that had Kim Seung-gyu beaten as it clattered off the far post.
With the second half turning into an exciting end-to-end spectacle, Nam then went close with his own long-range special as he cut inside and drove a low shot narrowly wide of Youssef’s left-hand post on the hour mark, before Al Maqseed then went close again after checking inside Jang Hyun-soo and curling inches over the Korean crossbar.
Coach Nabil Maaloul threw on star forward Bader Al Mutawa with just under half an hour remaining as Kuwait pushed for a leveller but it was Korea who went closest to netting next as Kim Min-woo forced a solid save from Youssef as he unleashed an angled drive from inside of the penalty area following a one-two with Lee Keun-ho.
Aziz Mashaan went close with a near post attempt before Park Joo-ho and Lee Jeong-hyeop both had efforts well-saved as the game ended in frenetic fashion with neither team able to make further incursions into the score line as Korean fans celebrated in the stands.
Photo: WSG