Korea Republic men’s national team were held a draw by Malaysia to finish runners up in the group stage and reach the round of 16 at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023. 

Jurgen Klinsmann’s charges drew 3-3 with Malaysia in their final Group E match staged at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakra on Thursday. Jeong Wooyeong opened the scoring after 21 minutes, but Malaysia fought back with quickfire goals early in the second half. Lee Kangin scored the equaliser with a sublime free-kick with seven minutes remaining, before Son Heungmin put his side ahead from the spot. However, there was still time for the Southeast Asians restore parity deep into added time.

Having already secured passage to the knockout stage, Korea Republic finished runners up with five points after the draw and are set to take on Group F winners Saudi Arabia in the round of 16 at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan in five days’ time.

Klinsmann made three changes to the side that had faced Jordan: Jeong Wooyeong came on for Park Yongwoo in midfield, whilst Kim Younggwon and Kim Taehwan started in place of Jung Seunghyun and Lee Kije in back four.

Cho Guesung started up front as a lone striker supported by Son Heungmin; Jeong Wooyeong, Hwang Inbeom, Lee Jaesung and Lee Kangin in midfield; Seol Youngwoo, Kim Younggwon, Kim Minjae and Kim Taehwan at the back; Jo Hyeonwoo between the sticks.

Korea Republic surged forward after taking complete control in the early stages of the game. Son Heungmin dribbled past two defenders to break into the left side of the area, only to see his powerful effort denied by Syihan Hazmi.
 

But they did not waste the second chance five minutes later, when Jeong Wooyeong glanced a header off a Lee Kangin corner from the left. Hazmi dived to his left to parry the ball over the line, but the referee awarded the goal after a VAR review.
 

Korea Republic kept up the momentum with Lee Kangin and Cho Guesung surging forward in search of another goal. Lee dragged his efforts straight at the goalkeeper, before Cho’s glancing header off Seol Youngwoo’s cross was denied by Hazmi.
 

However, the slender lead vanished early in the second half, as the Malaysians fought back against the run of play. Darren Lok intercepted the ball from Hwang Inbeom to break into the centre of the area, and after his initial effort was blocked, Faisal Halim latched onto the loose ball to curl it through the gap between Kim Minjae and Jo Hyeonwoo.
 

Malaysia went on to take the lead shortly after the hour mark, when Arif Aiman was brought down by Seol Youngwoo on the centre of the area. A penalty was awarded after a lengthy VAR review, and Aiman converted the resulting spot-kick to make it 2-1. Klinsmann responded by bringing Hwang Heechan and Hong Hyunseok on for Cho Guesung and Hwang Inbeom respectively.
 

The substitutes were in full throttle as the men in red fought back in waves of attack. The equaliser came on 83 minutes, when Lee Kangin curled a sublime free-kick into the top corner. Syihan Hazmi dived to his left to parry the ball away in vain, and the goal was initially recorded as an own goal by the keeper before the AFC revised the official match report to make it Lee’s goal from a direct free-kick.
 

Korea Republic finally took the lead four minutes into added time, when Oh Hyeongyu was brought down in front of the goal and a penalty was awarded after a VAR review. Son Heungmin calmly converted the resulting penalty to put his side ahead. However, it was Malaysia that had the last laugh, as Romel Morales fired a low effort to score the last-gasp equaliser.

AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023

Group E

Korea Republic 3-3 Malaysia

Goals: Jeong Wooyeong 21’, Lee Kangin 83’, Son Heungmin 90’+4 (pen); Faisal Halim 51’, Arif Aiman 62’ (pen), Morales 90’+15

KOR: Jo Hyeonwoo(GK), Kim Taehwan, Kim Minjae, Kim Younggwon, Seol Youngwo (Kim Jinsu 75’), Jeong Wooyeong (Oh Hyeongyu 75’), Hwang Inbeom (Hong Hyunseok 62’), Lee Jaesung(Park Yongwoo 90'+11), Lee Kangin, Son Heungmin, Cho Guesung (Hwang Heechan 62’)