South Korea’s draw with lowly Malaysia at the Asian Cup has sparked questions. The draw meant that South Korea avoided facing Japan in the next round. A win in their final group match would have made them group winners, but also pitched them against Japan, their bitter rivals. To the surprise of many, Japan finished second in their group behind Iraq.
In a dramatic turn of events, the match continued well past the 100-minute mark. During the 105th minute, Romel Morales scored a goal, leading to wild celebrations among the Malaysian players and supporters. Despite not advancing themselves, the draw secured Malaysia’s first-ever point at the Asian Cup. Consequently, South Korea will proceed in second place behind Bahrain and will face Saudi Arabia or Thailand in the last 16, which appears to be an easier match on paper.
Fans expressed mixed reactions to the draw. Some suggested that South Korea intentionally avoided Japan, while others pointed out the surprising underperformance of both Japan and South Korea in the competition. Additionally, there were comments about the amount of added time played, with some fans expressing disbelief at the 15 minutes of injury time.
