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Senior Writer- Jake Michaels is a Melbourne-based sports writer who has worked for ESPN since 2013. He primarily writes on the AFL, but his assignments have taken him all around the world, covering everything from Formula One to Grand Slam tennis, championship boxing to international basketball, and the Olympic Games.
Two extra-time goals by Bayer Leverkusen star Son Heung-min helped South Korea to a 2-0 win against Uzbekistan in the first Asian Cup quarterfinal in Melbourne on Thursday. In their semifinal, the Taeguk Warriors will take on the winners of Friday's quarterfinal between Iran and Iraq.
Here are three points from the intensely competitive first quarterfinal in Melbourne:
1. South Korea stagger over the line
After laboring through the group stage and being hit by injury and illness, South Korea stepped up significantly for the quarterfinal and looked far more like their old selves.
The first half-hour was a blistering affair, with chances from both teams coming thick and fast. The tempo only increased with both sides missing clear opportunities to win the game -- the 2-0 scoreline belied how close a contest this really was.
It took the Taeguk Warriors until extra-time to finally break through a compact, resolute Uzbek defence that nearly pinched the match on a number of occasions. Throughout the match South Korea showed confidence on the ball and were happy to maintain possession. Uli Stielike's men waited for their opponents to come to them before kicking into gear with a beguiling display of slick passing and dribbling skills to get in behind the defence, particularly on the flanks.
Left-back Kim Jin-su and attacking midfielder Son Heung-min caused huge headaches for Uzbek right-back Shukhrat Mukhammadiev, who came under pressure all night as he struggled to repel the attacks. South Korea captain and Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-yueng remained a standout threat throughout the 90 minutes.
It was a case of right place, right time, that saw Bayer Leverkusen star Son Heung-min break the deadlock in the first period of extra-time, then bury the sealer late in the second half of added time.
However, serious questions will be asked of South Korea's forward threat, which lacked the killer instinct required to stick the ball in the back of the net. Forward Lee Jeong-hyeop was ineffective all night despite being given great service by his midfield. Midfielder Nam Tae-hee inexplicably kicked nothing but air after being handed a perfect cutback by Ki Sung-yeung.
A night of remarkable goalkeeping by Uzbekistan's Ignatiy Nesterov also did not help South Korea's goal-scoring cause.
2. White Wolves fight to the end
Despite their heartbreaking loss in extra-time, Uzbekistan showed grit and determination to stay in the match despite being outplayed for most of the game with South Korea enjoying most of the possession.
The Uzbek defence was compact and aggressive, and they used their superior physical strength to thwart the Korean forward line and repel wave after wave of attacks.
Nesterov was a rock all night in goals and made a number of inspirational saves to keep his country in the match. But, like the South Koreans, the White Wolves will leave the tournament ruing a number of gilt-edged chances they could not convert, including a first-half header by Lutfulla Turaev, whose desperate dive saw him miss the ball by inches within the first 10 minutes.
Turaev had another unmarked opportunity late in the second half. He inexplicably missed a free header at the back post when the open net beckoned.
Group stage hero Sardor Rashidov, although quiet early, was constantly at the heart of Uzbekistan's darting runs and looked a likely match winner for much of the game.
But it was not meant to be. Uzbekistan exit the tournament a stage earlier than four years ago, when they lost to Australia in the semifinal, but their heroic effort to fight to the end has won them a legion of fans in Australia.
3. Worries up front for the Warriors
The inability of South Korea to put their opponents to the sword in regular time will undoubtedly be of concern to Stielike, and not just from a scoreline perspective.
Going into extra-time took a physical toll on the South Korean players, and several players were down with cramps after the game. It took them several minutes to pick themselves up off the sidelines and get back into the changing rooms.
Stielike has a real issue on his hands with regard to whom he can trust up front. While the forwards were played into space often, unnecessary extra touches from them snuffed out several genuine opportunities to put the game to bed.
Should Iran progress as their semifinal opponents, South Korea will need to find that edge and self-confidence in front of goal. Otherwise, it could well mean an abrupt end to their Asian Cup campaign.