AFC Asian Qualifiers
Son Heung-min put the hosts in front four minutes before the interval at Seoul World Cup Stadium but substitute Suphanat levelled proceedings shortly after the hour with the goal that ultimately secured a famous result for the Southeast Asians.
Korea went into the game three points clear at the top of the standings on the back of wins against Singapore and China PR, but it was Thailand who came closest in the early stages when Supachai Chaided’s dipping shot from more than 30 yards out was heading for the top corner, only for Jo Hyeon-woo to make an excellent save to deny the striker.
Playing their first game under interim head coach Hwang Sun-hong, Korea could have taken the lead just before the 20-minute mark when Thai goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai parried Hwang In-beom’s shot from outside the area into the path of Joo Min-kyu, but he failed to make a clean connection as the game remained level.
Son had his first chance of note on the half hour when his low free-kick from just outside the left side of the penalty area was tipped wide by Patiwat at full stretch.
The Taegeuk Warriors kept pushing forward and Son had another opportunity soon after, this time playing a neat one-two with Lee Jae-sung before firing his left-footed effort well over when he should have done better.
But the opening goal finally arrived in the 42nd minute when Lee’s cut-back from the byline was swept into the bottom left corner by Son for his fourth goal in three Group C matches.
Korea kept up the pressure early in the second half and came close to opening up a two-goal lead when Jeong Woo-yeong’s powerful left-foot effort from the edge of the area was expertly tipped onto the crossbar by Patiwat.
Masatada Ishii’s Thailand had a chance against the run of play as the hour approached when Supachai found Chanathip Songkrasin inside the area but the attacking midfielder skewed his shot well wide.
However, the equaliser came just moments later when Suphanat played the ball wide to Nicholas Mickelson whose cross-cum-shot from the right corner of the penalty area was sent home by Suphanat at the back post.
Son had another attempt palmed out by Patiwat before the Korean captain had a goal ruled out after tapping home Kim Jin-su’s cross only for the left-back to be flagged offside.
Patiwat made yet another great save to deny Kim Young-gwon and Paik Seung-ho then poked wide in the dying minutes as Thailand held out for an excellent point in the first of a double-header against the East Asians as the two sides get set to meet again at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on Tuesday.
