DOHA: Australia and South Korea shared the spoils 1-1 in the battle of the big guns at the Asian Cup yesterday as both sides inched closer to the quarter-finals.
The two Asian heavyweights are both seen as potential tournament winners but neither could find the decisive winner at the three-quarters full Al-Gharafa Stadium.
Exciting Jeju United 21-year-old Koo Ja-cheol, who has already attracted interest from overseas clubs, got the breakthrough on 24 minutes, striking his third goal of the competition. But a second-half equaliser from Mile Jedinak ensured both teams earned a point.
It leaves South Korea and Australia on four points from two games with Bahrain and India playing later.
The Koreans are best-placed with only minnows India standing in their way while the Socceroos face a tricky encounter with Bahrain on Tuesday.
Manchester United’s Park Ji-sung had the first sight of goal on two minutes after intercepting a poor pass from Lucas Neill, but scuffed his shot and Fulham’s Mark Schwarzer collected comfortably.
The Koreans were seeing most of the ball but Australia had a great chance to open the scoring in the seventh minute when Harry Kewell somehow hooked a shot over the bar from six yards out after a Brett Holman freekick.
Everton talisman Tim Cahill had a decent penalty appeal turned down in the 13th minute when Cha Du-ri appeared to use his arm to pull him down, but Qatari referee Abdulrahman Abdou was having none of it.
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