Late, late drama and penalties but Sonny and Korea progress

Heung-Min Son converted his spot-kick as Korea Republic defeated Saudi Arabia 4-2 on penalties on Tuesday evening to progress to the last eight at the 2023 Asian Cup.

Having scored an injury-time equaliser to level the scores at 1-1 and the sides still on terms after extra-time, South Korea enjoyed a perfect penalty shootout, dispatching each of their four penalties, while Saudi Arabia missed two of theirs to see Jurgen Klinsmann side book a quarter-final berth - something they have now done at each of their last eight appearances at the tournament.

Enduring a slow start to the tournament, winning just one of their group games to finish second in their group, there were difficult beginnings for Korea against Saudi Arabia in Al Rayyan as their middle eastern opponents took the lead.

Fighting for a way back into the game, Sonny's side piled on the pressure throughout the second half, hitting the frame of the woodwork a number of times, but they couldn't find a way through. That was until the ninth minute of second-half injury time as, in a move started by our number seven, Cho Gue-sung was alive in the six-yard box to head home and rescue the game for Korea.

That took the tie to extra-time but, after they still couldn't be separated after the additional 30 minutes of action, they headed to a penalty shootout. The first four penalties were all converted at the Education City Stadium, including a firmly dispatched one from our number seven.

However, after Saudi Arabia's Sami Al-Nagel saw his penalty saved and Abdulrahman Ghareeb sent his effort off target, two more perfect penalties from Korea were enough to send Sonny's nation through. It was Son's 120th international cap.

South Korea will now face Australia in the quarter-finals on Friday 2 February (kick-off 3.30 pm UK).