We have reached the final stages of the men’s football tournament in the Asian Games,as the last four teams to advance to the semifinals have been known.
Japan put an end to North Korea’s title bid. The game ended in a scandalous fashion as North Korean players attacked the match official after awarding a late penalty to Japan, which sealed Japan’s victory and propelled them to the semifinals.
Uzbekistan avenged their loss to Saudi Arabia in the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup. Both teams showed competitive form and were neck and neck for the most part of the match, but Uzbekistan got the slight upper hand and defeated Saudi Arabia with a 2-1 come-from-behind win.
It’s David versus Goliath as the inspiring Hong Kong strive to keep their Cinderella story alive when they clash against four-time Asian Games gold medalists Iran.
Meanwhile, host country China lock horns with the defending champions South Korea for a spot in the final four, but can China overcome their losing history against their East Asian rivals?
South Korea closer to a three-peat
Two-time defending champions South Korea continue their title defence in the Asian Games after a convincing quarterfinals victory over host country China 2-0 at the Huanglong Sports Centre Stadium.
The home crowd was stunned and had little to celebrate as their team got battered by the South Koreans. The defending champions played a masterful match of football and came out with a clean sheet against a threatening China squad.
Attacking midfielder Hong Hyun-seok and winger Song Min-kyu had a goal apiece in the first half of the quarterfinals bout, and China simply had no answer for the early onslaught.
KAA Gent midfielder Hong went to work early to give Korea a one-goal lead in the 18th minute with a beauty of a free kick that gracefully curled to the back of the net. Hong took the free kick from outside the right edge of the box, and Chinese goalkeeper Han Jiaqi made a valiant effort to keep the ball in front of him but ultimately failed.
South Korea had a terrific chance to double their score after just a few minutes, as Hong received a skillful header set up by teammate Hwang Jae-won, but this time, Han Jiaqi was successful in fending off Korea’s attack.
Later in the half, Song Min-kyu scored maybe the easiest goal he would score in the whole tournament. After a fumbling in the box caused by a threatening attack from Forward Cho Young-wook, Cho carried the ball from the right wing, tottering into the middle through Chinese defenders. Han Jiaqi failed to secure the ball and found its way to the feet of Son, who simply tapped it into the back of the net to give South Korea their second goal.
China’s defeat headlined the Asian Games 2023 news and spread like wildfire as home fans went to social media to share their dismay. Fans claimed it was a “National Day embarrassment” and they even dug up China’s frightful football history against South Korea, bringing up terms like “fear of Korea” and “Koreaphobia”.
With this win, South Korea will advance to the semifinals, where they will face Uzbekistan. While host country China won’t even have the chance to compete for a medal.
Davis vs Goliath
Hong Kong football is officially on the map. Hong Kong continued their Cinderella run in the Asian Games after upsetting Iran in the quarterfinals on Sunday at the Shangcheng Sports Centre Stadium.
Head coach Jorn Andersen and the rest of Hong Kong were the clear underdogs coming into the match. The last time they made a quarterfinals appearance was way back in 1958. They methodologically settled the four-time champions Iran with a 1-0 victory to secure a trip to the semifinals for the first time.
The two sides were struggling to get the upper hand during the first half. The only threatening attack from Hong Kong was by left-back Sun Ming-him when we capitalised on an Iran error. Sun intercepted a pass and then attempted a convincing strike from about 20 yards out, but Iran goalkeeper Seyedhossein Hosseini calmly and routinely palmed it to save his team from an early goal deficit.
Iran striker Amirarsalan Motahhari took a chance at a goal halfway through the first half with a close-range header, but Hong Kong goalkeeper Tse Ka-wing athletically kept the ball in front of him to keep the game tied at 0-0.
It was during the first few minutes of the second half when the only goal of the game was scored. Poon Pui-hin delivered a close-range strike in the 47th minute to give Hong Kong the lead and, ultimately, the win.
Hong Kong isn’t out of the woods just yet, as they match up against 2018 runners-up Japan in the semifinals at XSC Stadium. The SBOTOP Asian Games 2023 odds have Japan as the heavy favourites to win at 1.08.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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