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| Korean footballers Hwang Ui-jo, left, and Kim Seung-gyu take a break during training at Perry Park in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday. Yonhap |
By John Duerden
A last gasp goal denied South Korea a win in Australia with Massimo Luongo grabbing a 1-1 tie for the Socceroos in Brisbane on Saturday.
While it was an annoying end for Korea, it was a fair result. In this re-run of the 2015 Asian Cup final (that was won 2-1 by Australia thanks again to a late goal from Luongo), the host applied most of the pressure even though Korea led from the middle of the first half thanks to a goal from Hwang Eui-jo.
Still, Korea can console itself with the thought that this was very much a weakened team that made the trip down under. Its three best players were absent. Son Heung-min, the biggest star in Asian soccer, stayed in London with Tottenham Hotspur while captain Ki Sung-yueng also remained in England, with Newcastle United. Attacking midfielder Lee Jae-sung remained elsewhere in Europe.
With both midfielder Jung Woo-young and striker Hwang Hee-chan injured and defender Jang Hyun-soo unavailable after being caught falsifying his community service records, this was a new-look team.
Perhaps then it was not too much of a surprise that Korea spent most of the first quarter on the back foot, giving the ball away and being second best in generally every aspect. But then, out of nowhere, the Taegeuk Warriors moved ahead with their first shot of the game and the only shot of the half. A simple long ball was floated over the Australian defense and there was Hwang to run into the area.
The striker took his time and picked his spot in the bottom corner of the goal to give Mat Ryan, the Brighton goalkeeper, one of the most in-form number ones in the English Premier League, no chance. It was a clinical finish.
From then on, the visitors looked much more comfortable, although it was Australia that continued to have more attempts at goals _ 10 to Korea's one by the end of the first half.
Unfortunately the red-hot Hwang, who scored nine goals in the Asian Games in August and September, soon had to leave the field with an injury.
Australia pressed in the second half, but looked to have run out of ideas until a 93rd minute corner kick. It provoked a scramble in the area and ended with Luongo poking home.
It still marks a decent result for Korea, which will stay in Australia to face Uzbekistan. Under Bento, the team has played five games, winning two and tying three.
It is all about preparing for the Asian Cup in January. Korea will take on China, the Philippines and Kyrgyzstan in the group stage. On current form, the Taeguk Warriors have as good a chance as any of the 24 hopefuls that will gather in the United Arab Emirates providing everyone stays fit.
