AFC U23 Asian Cup - Korea Republic’s will to win delights Lee

Jeddah: Head coach Lee Min-sung was all smiles after Korea Republic booked their AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026™ semi-final spot with victory against Australia on Saturday.

The 2020 champions took the lead in the first half through Baek Ga-on, with Luka Jovanovic equalising. Korea Republic, however, continued to press and were rewarded with Shin Min-ha’s 89th minute winner as they sealed a return to the semi-finals after missing out in the previous two editions.

#AFCU23 | Quarter-finals: Australia 1-2 Korea Republic

“I’m extremely grateful to all the players for the way they stayed strong and pushed through a very difficult match,” said Lee. “We focused on exploiting the space behind Australia and applying strong pressure in midfield and those plans worked really well.

“After conceding, there was a brief moment when the players looked unsettled but they quickly regrouped, corrected the issues and showed great resilience to turn the game around. I’m truly proud of the team.”

Up next are defending champions Japan, with Lee saying Korea Republic will work on their weaknesses ahead of Tuesday’s semi-final.

“The players showed a strong will to score and then protect the lead but at times, we dropped too deep and a few defensive mistakes happened, which was disappointing.

“Moments like this help us grow as a team. As we look ahead to the semi-final, we’ll work hard to deliver an even better performance.”

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