Settings

ⓕ font-size

  • -2
  • -1
  • 0
  • +1
  • +2

Korea work hard to get past Bahrain into last eight

  • Facebook share button
  • Twitter share button
  • Kakao share button
  • Mail share button
  • Link share button
South Korea's Hwang Hee-Chan jumps over Bahrain's midfielder Kamil Al Aswad during the AFC Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between South Korea and Bahrain at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday. South Korea won 2-1. AP-Yonhap
South Korea's Hwang Hee-Chan jumps over Bahrain's midfielder Kamil Al Aswad during the AFC Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between South Korea and Bahrain at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday. South Korea won 2-1. AP-Yonhap

By John Duerden

South Korea needed extra-time to defeat Bahrain 2-1 in Dubai on Tuesday to move into the quarterfinal of the 2019 Asian Cup.

It was not a vintage performance against the spirited Middle Easterners but goals from Hwang Hee-chan and Kim Jin-su made the difference.

Korea was on top during the early stages and the breakthrough came just before half-time. It started with Son Heung-min. The Spurs man, closely watched, found himself in a little space in a central area when he threaded a fine pass to the right-side, bisecting the Bahrain back-line. The busy Lee Yong sent the ball into the middle and it found its way to Hwang and the Hamburg forward picked his spot in the net and sidefooted it home.

It was a reward for an average first-half performance from Korea that lacked a little in the attacking third. Bahrain defended well and even had a couple of shots that went close. Coach Bento was visibly angry at his team's wastefulness in possession but in the second half, Bahrain would have to come out and attack, leaving space for Korea's fast forwards.

The Taeguk Warriors were certainly more energetic after the restart, going close on a number of occasions. Yet as the half progressed, the Middle Easterners began to spend more time near the Korean penalty area. With the advantage so slender it would only take one moment of magic and madness and the scoreline would be level.

South Korea's defender Kim Jin-Su celebrates after he scored hsi team's second goal during the AFC Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between South Korea and Bahrain at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday. AP-Yonhap
South Korea's defender Kim Jin-Su celebrates after he scored hsi team's second goal during the AFC Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between South Korea and Bahrain at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday. AP-Yonhap

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu had not had much work to do but just before the 70-minute mark was at full stretch to turn a curling shot from Jamel Rashid around the post.

Then 13 minutes from time, the goal that Bahrain had been threatening to score came. The Korean defense looked flat-footed as the ball entered the area and there was Mohamed Al Romaihi to blast into the net from close range.

In the final seconds of normal time, Hwang Ui-jo should have won it. The striker was one-on-one with an injured goalkeeper but shot just wide. It would have been harsh on Bahrain.

Korea did most of the attacking in extra-time with Kim Yong-gwon somehow heading wide with the goal gaping in front of him.

And then the goal came after 106 minutes of soccer and it was a beauty. Lee Yong was floated from the right high over to the left side and there was full-back Kim to pick his spot and deliver a perfect header into the far corner for his first ever international goal.

As soon as the second half of extra time started, Ju Se-jong almost sealed the win but his low shot bounced back off the post.

Korea hung on and move forward to a quarterfinal against either Iraq or Qatar on Friday.




X
CLOSE

Top 10 Stories

go top LETTER