AsianCup2023 | Round Of 16 : Saudi Arabia 1 (2) - (4) 1 Korea Republic

The Education City Stadium plays host to a round of 16 match-up that could easily be a final, with two powerhouses of Asian football meeting earlier than expected in the first round of the knockout stages. Saudi Arabia finished top of Group F, winning two and drawing their last game, while Korea Republic surprisingly struggled to convince in the group stage, securing just one victory along with two draws, both of which required late goals to avoid defeat. Mancini's Green Falcons have defender Hassan Al-Tanbakti back from suspension, while Kano, Al-Burek and Al-Sheri also return to the starting 11. Jürgen Klinsmann makes just one change to the team that drew with Malaysia in the group stage, as striker Cho Gui-sung drops to the bench and defender Jung Seung-hyun comes into the side. Well, no real chances at either end throughout the entirety of this first half. Now perhaps Saudi Arabia off the crossbar, off the crossbar again and then just wide. Well, hardly any chances so far and then three, all in one go for the Green Falcons. How did they not score there? It's a nil-nil at the break here in this last 16 encounter, just one change for Saudi Arabia. Abdullah Radif, here's Radif on the ball now, Radif finds the bottom right corner and what an introduction for the Al-Shabaab striker on the pitch for 34 seconds and Saudi Arabia have the lead thanks to their number 20. As Radif again has been involved since coming on, hasn't he? Al-Dawsiri back to Radif, pulls the trigger, skimming off the surface, just wide. Korea Republic have left it late in so many games already, will it be the same story here again? What a save from Alcacer to deny Hwang In-byung. Well, all of a sudden Korea Republic have started playing now into the final stages, could this be the equalizer again? Alcacer is there, does extremely well at his near post to keep that one out. Into injury time now, surely Saudi Arabia have done enough or have they? Off the crossbar, Cho Gui-sung on as a second half substitute. Fifth minutes of stoppage time now, Korea Republic close to powering forward with chance after chance. Hwang Hee-chan inches wide hits it into the ground, looks like it's going in but then just curls away from the target. Ninth minute of stoppage time now, here comes the delivery, it's headed back across the face and goal! Cho Gui-sung, can you believe it? Injury time equalizer again, twice in the group stage and now in the last 16. So we head into extra time, chance here for Korea Republic, a goal now surely wins this. Lee Kang-in and what another world-class save that is from Alcacer. That's a great ball, down the far touchline to Al-Naji, into Radif, takes it first time. Cho Hyun-woo is an important save. So we will go to a penalty shootout here, it's a coin flip to see who moves on to the quarterfinals. So Kharib needs to score here. Cho Hyun-woo with one save already and he's got another back-to-back stops from the Korea Republic keeper. Hwang Hee-chan, the Wolverhampton Wanderers striker with a chance to send Korea Republic through and he hammers it into the top right corner. Korea Republic leave it late again and go through to the quarterfinals on penalties against a heartbroken Saudi Arabia who gave absolutely everything but simply ran out of steam when it mattered most. Which means Klinsman's Taekook Warriors will now face Australia next in a repeat of the 2015 Asian Cup final.