AL-AIN, United Arab Emirates — Asian Cup hosts UAE and Gulf rivals Qatar pulled off titanic upsets as they sent defending champions Australia and Son Heung-min’s South Korea crashing out in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Ali Mabkhout poached a 1-0 win for UAE over Australia and the Qataris ousted South Korea by the same scoreline to set up a semi-final buzzing with regional tensions because of the Gulf blockade of Qatar.
Milos Degenek’s defensive mistake allowed UAE sharpshooter Mabkhout to pounce for a win that was greeted by joyous drumming and a sea of smartphone torches at a packed Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.
Japan and Iran, with seven Asian Cup titles between them, will play the other semi as the 24-team continental showpiece nears its final in Abu Dhabi on 1 February.
Graham Arnold’s Australia will feel aggrieved by their defeat after having the best of it against UAE, only to be undone by a single defensive error on 68 minutes.
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Degenek, who this week signed for Saudi giants Al Hilal, rolled a casual ball to Ryan but Mabkhout nipped in and rounded the ‘keeper before scoring into an empty net.
Earlier, in Abu Dhabi, Abdelaziz Hatim fired a late winner as Qatar stunned title-chasing South Korea 1-0 to reach the semis for the first time.
South Korea were looking to end 59 years of hurt in the tournament but the two-time winners missed a string of second-half chances before Hatim’s hammer blow after 78 minutes.
“There are some big emotions today, but it’s no miracle,” said Qatar coach Felix Sanchez.
“We deserve to be in the semis. I feel like the happiest coach in the world — it’s a big step forward.”
It took the Koreans until three minutes into the second half to register a shot on target, Hwang Ui-jo forcing a low save from Saad Al-Sheeb from the edge of the box.
Lee Chung-yong then blazed wide and captain Son Heung-min was denied by Al-Sheeb before Kim Jin-su’s free kick smacked against the post.
That wastefulness came back to haunt them when Hatim smashed a long-range rocket past goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu to give the 2022 World Cup hosts a famous victory.
