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UAE keep their Asian Games hopes alive with penalty shootout win over North Korea to reach semis

Sport360 staff

21:18 27/08/2018

The UAE are making it a habit of pulling out thrilling victories at the Asian Games.

Days after beating hosts Indonesia in a penalty shootout in the Last 16, the Junior Whites again triumphed on spot-kicks to overcome North Korea 5-3 in the quarter-finals of the tournament on Monday.

The win sets up a meeting with Japan in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

In penalties, UAE goalkeeper Mohammad Al Shamsi denied North Korea’s So Jong-hyok on the fourth kick, setting up Rashed Musabbah’s winner.

The sides were deadlocked at one apiece in normal time, with Kim Yu-song putting North Korea ahead in the 63rd minute on a header before Zayed Al Ameri struck back for the UAE four minutes later with his own header.

North Korea appeared to take the lead shortly after when Kim Yu-song again headed into the back of the net, but the goal was taken away as he was whistled for a shove.

The UAE are now one step away from reaching the title game, with Japan standing in the way after the Samurai Blue ousted Saudi Arabia 2-1 in their quarter-final clash on Monday.

Elsewhere, Tottenham forward Son Heung-min powered South Korea to the semi-finals as the defending champions beat Uzbekistan 4-3 in an electric match-up.

The World Cup star, who is in Indonesia vying for a gold medal that would keep him from a career-threatening spell of military service, notched a pair of smart assists for hat-trick hero Hwang Ui-jo before a late Hwang Hee-chan penalty sent the Koreans through.

While Spurs prepared to visit Manchester United in the Premier League some 7,000 miles away, Son was the driving force as the Koreans advanced to face Vietnam in the last four.

The Korea captain revealed that he was supposed to take the penalty kick but that substitute Hwang Hee-chan had demanded to take it – and Son couldn’t bear to watch.

“Hee-chan said he wanted it and was confident,” he said. “I told him to take the kick. I didn’t see where he put the penalty but I’m proud of him.”

Korea’s hopes of advancing almost evaporated in the space of two second-half minutes when Ikromjon Alibaev fired Uzbekistan level and then had a deflection off Hwang Hyun-soo trickle into the net.

However, Hwang Ui-jo struck back to complete his hat-trick with aplomb after 75 minutes.

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