South Korea are hot favourites to progress as they face Uzbekistan at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Thursday night in the first Asian Cup quarter final. Join The Roar from 6:30pm (AEDT) for live scores and coverage.
Having defeated home favourites the Socceroos in the final round of the group stage, the Koreans secured top spot in Group A and thus a slightly friendlier draw for the quarters.
Favoured at a measly $1.85 by the bookies to secure a victory over the Uzbeks, South Korea will still have to work hard to procure a semi-final spot.
Having not conceded a goal yet in the tournament, the Koreans will be hoping their defence continues to work hard and extends this impressive statistic.
Uzbekistan qualified for the quarter finals with a hard-fought victory over Saudi Arabia, thanks largely to their brand of attacking football which saw Sardor Rashidov net twice in a 3-1 victory.
Expect coach Mirdjalal Kasimov to retain Rashidov and recall some of the players who have helped the Uzbeks qualify for the knockout stage in the past four Asian Cups, including two-time Asian Footballer of the Year award winner, Server Djeparov.
The Koreans boast some big names including Heung Min Son, a striker who plies his trade for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and could prove a handful for the Uzbek defenders. Another dangerous European based player is Ki Sung Yueng who currently features regularly for Swansea and is captain of this impressive Korean outfit.
Expect an easy victory for South Korea here, they possess way too much talent for this Uzbek team to topple. Goals will be hard to come by for the Group B runners up whilst South Korea never seem to have an issue finding the net.
Prediction: South Korea 3-1 Uzbekistan
Join The Roar for live scores from 6:30pm (AEDT). If you are following the action live, be sure to share your thoughts on the match in the comments below.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Great entertianment again! Was hard to pick a winner right up till extra time but the Korean's were more keen to pull the trigger than the Uzbeks. Korean's deserved it in the end.
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
Thanks for joining me for this exciting clash, be sure to stay following The Roar for home nation Australia's clash with China in Brisbane which kicks off in roughly half an hour. It's been a pleasure. Have a great night. Come on the Socceroos!
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
FULL TIME IN MELBOUNE! South Korea come through and eventually shut down a lively Uzbek outfit. What. A. Match. 2 extra time goals to Son Heung Min has sent his nation to the semi finals. Uzbekistan put up a marvelous showing and perhaps should have taken it out after Turaev missed a glaring chance in the final minutes of a deadlocked and action packed first 90 minutes. It has to be said though, congratulations to South Korea who managed to keep it together and complete a marathon 120 minute victory. SOUTH KOREA 2-0 UZBEKISTAN
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
The double extra time goal scorer leaves in a stretcher... for some reason. This has been a match which just keeps us guessing. What a spectacle. The scoreboard will reflect a routine victory for the Red Devils, it was anything but. 2-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
GOALLLL GAME OVER! SOUTH KOREA ARE THROUGH! ITS SON HEUNG MIN AGAIN! The counter attack ends in the net as Cha Du Ri makes a great run and picks out Son who takes a touch and thumps it into the top of the net leaving the keeper with no chance. Well played Uzbekistan but that is that. Props to South Korea for coming though in the end. Thanks for coming. 2-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
119' Its absolute chaos!!! Kapadze goes down and everyone yells for a freekick on the edge of the box but the referee waves it away. 1-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
117' Uzbekistan giving the search for an equaliser their all as they foray forward. It's been unfruitful thus far but they keep rebounding the ball back into the box. Their coach is unbelievably animated on the sidelines and wants to sub himself into the game. Can they do it? Seems unlikely 1-0
Brian Ryu
Guest
Korea*
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
114' Now the South Koreans endeavour to waste time as a player gets a 'cramp' and requires 'urgent' medical attention... And the skipper Ki is yellow carded for that little charade. 1-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
Substitution for South Korea: Lee Keun-Ho is replaced by Jang Heun Seu. He attempted to take his time exiting the pitch but the referee wasnt having a bar of it. 1-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
Denisov really lucky to avoid a second yellow there, a poor challenge as Lee Keu-Ho looked to be in on goal. Odd refereeing decision. 1-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
We're back underway as Uzbekistan have 15 minutes in which to equaliser Just a reminder that South Korea are yet to concede in the entirety of the tournament... 1-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
Halftime in exrta time now as the players catch a breather South Korea are now in the driving seat care of Heung Min Son's header. Can they hold the lead or will Uzbekistan snatch an unlikely equaliser to send this game into penalties? 1-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
Substitution for Uzbekistan: Unsurprisingly, a striker enters the fray. Sergeev replaces Tursunov. 1-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
105+1' Rashidov with another decent effort.Asthe ball fell to him in the box he hit it first time with little purchase. It went wide. 1-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
GOAAAALLLLLL! FINALLY AND WHO ELSE BUT HEUNG MIN SON? A powerful header from the Leverkusen man which just falls over the line after a touch from Nesterov. He deserved that. He's been a handful all night. Can the White Wolves pull it back. 104 minutes played and the deadlock has finally been broken. SOUTH KOREA 1-0 UZBEKISTAN
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
103' The ball falls to Son in the box and it looked like he would surely bury it! But somehow he was closed down by the Ubekistan defence and the ball cleared away. 0-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
101' A great effort from Rashidov from distance, attempting to dip it under the bar and its not far off. He's been brilliant tonight, the youngster could well earn himself a big move after the tournament hes having. Especially if hes able to win the White Wolves the match here. 0-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
The freekick strikes the head of Haydarov and balloons away from goal. The deadlock is in tact, no one worry... 0-0
Jake Rosengarten
Roar Guru
96' Freekick for South Korea in a promising position, Ki goes down and its only just outside the box. Can the Swansea man manufacture a winner here? 0-0