It's coming to the crunch time in the tournament where medals will be won and lost as the Asian Cup reaches the final stage. Plucky underdogs Iraq finally exited at the hands of a stubben Korea Republic side who picked up a record equalling 5th consecutive clean sheet, while hosts Australia went one better than favourites Japan by easing past a talented United Arab Emirates side. Iraq will face the UAE in Newcastle in the Bronze medal match, while Australia will host Korea Eepublic back in Sydney on Saturday in the Asian Cup final. Excitement and intrigue is sure to follow, but first a look back at the winners and losers of the competitions semi-finals.
The Player
One thing that's become wholly refreshing about Uli Stielike's early reign as Korea Republic manager has been his willingness to introduce new faces. Goalkeeper Kim Jin-Hyeun has starred between the sticks, but it's further forward where a recent impact has been felt more pertinently. A goal and an assist in the semi finals for Lee Jeong-Hyeop has quickly seen his profile rise from relative unknown to potential cup winner since the turn of the year. Lee's initial inclusion in the squad was met with raised eyebrows, but considering his competition for a starting spot, he can't be criticised for choking under pressure.
After clinching his spot in the starting lineup thanks to neat deflected goal against Australia in the group stage, Lee's commanding presence was again on show against Iraq from the first whistle. His goal, illustrated his aieral presence excellently as he nodded in Kim Jin-Su whipped in freekick. Into the second half, he showed his intelligence once more cushioning down a long ball for Kim Young-Gwon to rifle home from the edge of the box. Often seen as a Plan B - long ball weapon, Lee once again lives up to the often rolled out adage of a big man with good feet.
Ever since Park Chu-Young capitulated from view after moving to Arsenal, Korea have continually sought for a new leader in the attacking third. Experimentations with another gentle giant Kim Shin-Wook, the hard running Lee Keun-Ho and a brief spell with Koo Ja-Chol as a false nine, have all turned up more questions than answers. Lee's inclusion has since muted questions over Korea's talents in attack, which one would hope can spur the young forward onto better things domestically. Immediately however concentration shifts to Australia, where their nemesis Lee will be out to notch back to back goals against the hosts.
The Team
Winning only two of your first 11 matches in charge is going to draw a lot of criticism from your own fans irrespective of the team you're managing. However, Ange Postecglou's message has always stayed true; just wait and see, this team will come good. And how he's been proved right as his Australia side romped through in relative ease through to their second Asian Cup finals in as many editions. The hosts now set up as favourites after scoring 12 goals along the way to the showpiece event on Saturday.
It was a sink or swim moment for all involved, their awful preparation didn't matter if they could up their game at their host games. From the start they've continued to answer their critics; can Australia win matches? Followed up with back to back hammerings of Kuwait and Oman. Can they score goals without the aid of national hero Tim Cahill? Yes they can, notching 9 different goal scorers aside of Cahill during the tournament. Finally could they compete with Asia's best? Unequivocally yes, as they eased past UAE without really ever been troubled. An Emirati side that knocked out pre-tournament favourites Japan, were swatted away.
The crucial match however comes into view, their final appearance against Korea Republic. Many comparisons will be made between their initial meeting and the final encounter, but it's unlikely to be anything but a starkly contrasting match up. This time Australia will be fully rebuffed with their attacking trident of Tim Cahill, Matthew Leckie and Robbie Kruse, with more on the line, given the Socceroos had already ensured a quarter final spot before. Postecoglou is finally living up to his words, with Australia playing some of the most riveting attacking football in the competition. Now to break new ground as they attempt to blot Korea's spotless clean sheet record.
The Talking Point
Heralded as the greatest chance of an upset at the tournament, United Arab Emirates have more than lived up to their tag of prime dark horses after making it through to the semi finals. However, many will be disappointed in their rather damp final showing as they limply crashed out against the hosts. Mahdi Ali went against his usual attacking philosophy in the knockout stages, and while they finally edged Japan on penalties, Australia showed the much needed guile to break down the stubban Emirati resistance early on, something Ali's side couldn't recover from.
Opinion was split over the cautious display on show against the Japanese, while some applauded Ali's flexibility to show a new string to the UAE bow, others thought he'd panicked, facing his stiffest opposition yet and ultimately his luck shone on his side to take it all the way to penalties. Either way, observers assumed they couldn't repeat the feat, and expected the Gulf nation to revert back to their attractive attacking game when they headed to Newcastle. Unfortunately it never really got going as numerous avenues were blocked off at source leaving UAE all out of ideas.
Subsequent analysis has focused on the role of chief playmaker Omar Abdulrahman, who despite his wonderful talent and flashing assists this tournament, has come under fire, most pertinently by Aussie centre back Trent Sainsbury, who went on to be one of the Socceroos' goalscoring heroes in the semis. The reliance on Abdulrahman can't be used as an excuse given the great depth and fluidity of the whole side. The collective group, unfortunetly never got going, which we can favourably put down to a bad day at the office. In the end, there once again won't be a West Asian representative in the Asian Cup final, as UAE will have to do with facing Iraq in the Bronze medal match on Friday.
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