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It did not come as late as the 99th-minute equaliser on Tuesday that led a thrilling penalty shootout triumph over Saudi Arabia in the round of 16 of the AFC Asian Cup. But it was equally dramatic, highly unlikely, and beggaring belief. As South Korea looked destined to be heading out of the Asian Cup for the second game running as they trailed Australia 1-0 with the clock ticking over into injury-time, the one man who their hopes are primarily resting on rose to the occasion -- inspiring a come-from-behind 2-1 win that sent them into a semifinal tie with Jordan. Son Heung-Min is a consummate professional who does not know how and when to give up whenever he is out on the field. He leads by example and his sheer presence is far more valuable than goals and assists, even if he usually delivers those in truckloads. What he brings to South Korea cannot be underestimated and yet, by his lofty standards, he has been having a quiet Asian Cup -- with both his goals prior to Friday's quarterfinal coming from the penalty spot. Nonetheless, with his side staring in the face of elimination, Son's trademark determination saw him break free inside the box even when surrounded by a sea of Australia defenders although the angle was difficult for a shot and the passing lane was about to be closed down by the oncoming Lewis Miller. Sensing the challenge coming from Miller, Son intelligently planted his feet down to shield the ball and, in an instant, drew contact from the unfortunate Socceroos substitute -- who had been brought on earlier in a bid to see out the win.  It was not simulation but a savvy bit of play from a vastly-experienced, world-class player like Son and Miller fell into the trap, paving the way for Hwang Hee-Chan to blast the resultant penalty past Mathew Ryan in the 96th minute to force extra-time. Three days earlier, the Taegeuk Warriors had needed penalties to see off Saudi Arabia in another heavyweight clash -- having failed to find the breakthrough in the 30 minutes of extra-time. This time around, it was not necessary. As the first period of extra-time drew to a close, another impulsive challenge from Miller felled Hwang on the edge of the area. It was one of those where it almost looked too close to score from a freekick, with insufficient distance to get the ball up over the wall and back down again. It was also a formidable-looking Australia wall with Ryan placing the towering duo of Harry Souttar and Miller on the near end of the wall -- furthest away from where his starting position would be -- while Aziz Behich was prone on the ground just in case a cheeky ground effort was on the cards. Ultimately, none of it mattered considering the undeniable quality Son possesses. In the end, Son did not even need to find either corner. Once his freekick had cleared the lower side of the wall -- which was hardly an insignificant hurdle given Kye Rowles and Jackson Irvine stand at 1.85 and 1.89 metres respectively -- the sheer pace on the shot meant it had Ryan beaten all ends up even if it did nestle into the back of the net in a fairly central area. Son, who was without a goal at the last Asian Cup in 2019, had well and truly announced his arrival at this edition of the continent's premier tournament. South Korea had once again pulled off what looked to be impossible.  Of course, it is concerning for the Taegeuk Warriors that they regularly find themselves in holes that they have to dig out of. Still, when talking about teams that go on to win titles, there are always the old adages and clichés: "winning even when you are not playing at your best" or "all that matters is grinding out the victories". In truth, South Korea are not even playing poorly at all. In Saudi Arabia and Australia, they have come up against two fellow powerhouses of the continent. They have played excellent football and largely dominated both contests. It has just so happened that they found themselves behind each time and that it look deep into injury-time for them to pull level. On the other hand, they are proving impossible to count out until the final whistle and with that also comes a mental boost: a perception that they just cannot be beaten -- in their minds, as well as that of their future opponents. Sport sometimes produces some intangible and unexplainable phenomenon, one of those being how it can seem like destiny when a team just keeps finding a way to win and win in their quest for glory. For a team looking to win a first Asian Cup since 1960 and who have now looked dead and buried but are still alive, there is definitely a feeling -- that cannot be explained -- that this could finally be South Korea's year.
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