Group A: Korea Republic 1-0 Oman

AFC Asian Cup – CANBERRA, A goal in first half stoppage time from forward Cho Young-cheol was enough to edge two-time winners Korea Republic past Oman 1-0 in their AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 opener at Canberra Stadium on Saturday.

Third place finishers in 2011, Korea were on top for much of the first period but at half-time had only Cho’s stoppage time goal to show for their control of proceedings.

A flurry of attacking substitutions in the final 30 minutes did see Oman threaten to level the game, notably through Amad Al Hosni who had a header tipped onto the crossbar in added time, but Korea held on to move into second place behind Australia in Group A after the hosts defeated Kuwait 4-1 in the tournament opener on Friday.

In rainy conditions in the Australian capital, Korea had their first chance on five minutes as midfielder Koo Ja-cheol cut in from the left-hand side and fired in a shot from the edge of the penalty area that Ali Al Habsi got down low to his right to tip around the post.

And two minutes later Son Heung-min latched on to a long ball over the top from Kim Chang-soo and lifted the ball over Al Habsi, only to see it bounce off the top of the crossbar and away from danger.

Defender Jaber Owaisi had a chance to put Oman ahead against the run of play but turned his header well over the bar from Eid Al Farsi’s corner on 12 minutes.

And although Korea began to stamp their authority on the game, with six minutes of the half remaining Kim Ju-young brought down Abdulaziz Al Muqbali and from 20 yards out Al Farsi bent the ball marginally wide of the far post.

But as the match neared the half-time interval, Korea scored the opening goal they had long threatened.

Al Habsi had already athletically turned away his own defender Abdul Salem Amer’s unintentional header and kept out a long-range free-kick from Son but he was beaten a minute into first half stoppage time.

Lee Chung-yong pounced on a loose ball and laid the ball off to Koo and the midfielder’s left footed shot from outside the area was beaten out by Al Habsi only as far as a sliding Cho who forced the ball back across the wrong-footed goalkeeper and into the opposite corner from close range.

Korea continued as they had left off after the break and four minutes after the re-start, Lee drove a low shot into the side netting and then Al Habsi pulled off a fine reaction save to tip over Koo’s header from point-blank range.

Oman coach Paul Le Guen made attacking replacements in the final half hour by bringing on Al Hosni and Mohsin Johar in an attempt to restore parity and on 76 minutes Al Muqbali had a golden chance to equalise when Ali Al Busaidi picked him out all alone in the penalty area but the forward’s first touch was poor and Korea cleared their lines.

The West Asians continued to put in an improved performance thereafter as Korea sat back, and in stoppage time Al Hosni’s goal-bound header from a corner was dramatically touched onto the crossbar by Kim Jin-hyeon as Ulrich Stielike’s side narrowly escaped to take all three points.