Saturday, January 31, 2015 1:09:04 AM
Asian Cup final: Australia v South Korea key match-ups in Sydney
by Dan Colasimone
Updated about 3 hours agoSat 31 Jan 2015, 1:02pm
Map: Sydney 2000 - http://maps.google.com/?q=-33.8631,151.2043(Sydney%202000)&z=5
When Australia met South Korea in the Asian Cup group stage it
was apparent there was very little separating the two sides.
---
Asian Cup final - tale of the tape
Australia
FIFA world ranking: 100
Coach: Ange Postecoglou
Captain: Mile Jedinak
Asian Cup 2015: P5 W4 D0 L1
Goals scored: 12
Goals conceded: 2
South Korea
FIFA world ranking: 69
Coach: Uli Stielike
Captain: Ki Sung-yueng
Asian Cup 2015: P5 W5 D0 L0
Goals scored: 7
Goals conceded: 0
---
With both coaches Ange Postecoglou and Uli Stielike electing to rest several key players from their starting XIs for that encounter, we were effectively given an appetiser to the main course.
In Saturday's final in Sydney the two Asian heavyweights will meet again, this time with full-strength starting lineups in a game that will feature a number of fascinating individual contests.
The Socceroos dominated possession in the January 17 clash, but it was South Korea which won the match thanks to a Lee Jeong-hyeop goal.
While the Taeguk Warriors enjoy playing with the ball at their feet under Stielike, the final is likely to follow a similar pattern.
Australia should look to initiate play while South Korea will remain solid and attempt to strike on the counter attack.
Here are a handful of the key battles which could determine which side lifts the trophy at the end of the night.
Mile Jedinak v Son Heung-min and Ki Sung-yueng
Photo: Mile Jedinak will likely require help in dealing with Ki Sung-yeong and Son Heung-min. (Getty Images)
---
Asian Cup final live on ABC
The Asian Cup final between Australia and South Korea will be broadcast live on ABC TV and radio. Watch online via iview ..
http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/football-asian-cup-australia-2015 .. or listen to the live stream ..
http://www.abc.net.au/radio/player/?station=extra .
See full ABC TV and radio broadcast details ..
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-04/asian-cup-2015-broadcast-schedule-abc-tv/5865358?section=sport.
---
As is so often the case in football, the battle in midfield in the Asian Cup final will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the match.
South Korea's two outstanding players patrol the middle of the pitch, with captain Ki Sung-yueng operating as a defensive shield and deep-lying playmaker, and the dynamic and highly skilled Son Heung-min providing the link between midfield and attack.
Son usually starts from wide positions but will often cut inside to attack through the centre. His pace and finishing ability make him lethal on the counter-attack and he is technically gifted enough to take defenders on and beat them.
Australia's captain Mile Jedinak is very much his side's leader on the pitch, but he is set to have his hands full ensuring South Korea's dangerman is closed down before he gets up a head of steam.
Jedinak does not have the pace of Son, so his positioning will have to be spot on, and he must ensure his distribution is precise so South Korea is not able to turn over possession and break into attack high up the pitch.
Massimo Luongo is Australia's chief creator, so will not be asked to over-burden himself defensively, meaning whoever Ange Postecoglou selects as the third midfielder will likely be tasked with stifling Ki's influence.
The Socceroos coach faces a critical decision on whether to send out the energetic Matt McKay, the defensively astute and intimidating Mark Milligan or a more attack-minded player in Mark Bresciano or James Troisi as his third midfielder.
Tim Cahill v Kim Young-gwon and Kwak Tae-hwi
Photo: Kim Young-gwon and Kwak Tae-hwi will need to be wary of Tim Cahill's aerial threat. (Getty Images)
South Korea's defence has been the best in the Asian Cup: the Taeguk Warriors are yet to concede a goal through the whole tournament.
In part this is due to Stielike turning out a side that remains compact without the ball and is comfortable in possession, but central defenders Kim Young-gwon and Kwak Tae-hwi certainly deserve some of the credit for the five consecutive clean sheets.
The South Koreans have not always looked entirely comfortable under pressure, however, especially from set piece situations and crosses into the box.
If there is one forward in world football able to exploit any aerial weakness, it is Australia's Tim Cahill.
At 178cm Cahill is shorter than both Kwak Tae-hwi (186cm) and Kim Young-gwon (187cm), but the flag-punching striker has made a career out of out-jumping defenders who are bigger than him.
The centre-backs will have to be close to flawless if they want to prevent the most celebrated Socceroo from adding to his legacy.
Lee Jeong-hyeop v Mat Ryan
Photo: Mat Ryan will have to decide on when to come off his line against Lee Jeong-hyeop. (Getty Images)
South Korea's target man Lee Jeong-hyeop copped something of a battering from Australia's big central defenders when these sides met in the group stage, but was still able to make the critical difference when he snuck in to poke the ball past Mat Ryan for the only goal of the game.
The Socceroos goalkeeper must be careful of exactly these types of darting runs in Saturday's final.
Matthew Spiranovic and Trent Sainsbury should once again be more than a match for the number 18 on the physical front, but both men have been caught flat footed on occasion in this tournament when zippy forwards have ghosted past them.
Ryan has excelled with the ball at his feet and shown himself to be an ever-improving shot-stopper, but his reading of the game will have to be at its sharpest against the in-form Lee Jeong-hyeop.
A goalkeeper's decisions to come off his line have to be made in a split second, but it is those split seconds which can often decide football matches.
Cha Du-ri v Jason Davidson
Photo: The battle down the flank between Jason Davidson and Cha Du-ri will be one to watch. (Getty Images)
Neither Jason Davidson nor veteran right-back Cha Du-ri made it on to the pitch when these two sides met in the group phase, but both have demonstrated in the subsequent matches how valuable they are to their respective teams .
Both are descended from national team royalty as well.
The 34-year-old South Korean right-back is the son of legendary Taeguk Warriors player Cha Bum-kun, while Davidson's father is 79-game Socceroos great Alan Davidson.
On Saturday night, whichever of the two who finds the best balance between defence and attack on the flank will help his team's cause immensely.
While Cha Du-ri may be at the opposite end of his career to 23-year-old Davidson, the Korean is still possessed with boundless energy and a desire to get forward as frequently as possible.
Left-back Davidson will need to be on high alert to stifle such advances, but at the same time be aware of the space behind the right-back which can be exploited.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-31/asian-cup-final-australia-v-south-korea-key-match-ups/6057636
by Dan Colasimone
Updated about 3 hours agoSat 31 Jan 2015, 1:02pm
Map: Sydney 2000 - http://maps.google.com/?q=-33.8631,151.2043(Sydney%202000)&z=5
When Australia met South Korea in the Asian Cup group stage it
was apparent there was very little separating the two sides.
---
Asian Cup final - tale of the tape
Australia
FIFA world ranking: 100
Coach: Ange Postecoglou
Captain: Mile Jedinak
Asian Cup 2015: P5 W4 D0 L1
Goals scored: 12
Goals conceded: 2
South Korea
FIFA world ranking: 69
Coach: Uli Stielike
Captain: Ki Sung-yueng
Asian Cup 2015: P5 W5 D0 L0
Goals scored: 7
Goals conceded: 0
---
With both coaches Ange Postecoglou and Uli Stielike electing to rest several key players from their starting XIs for that encounter, we were effectively given an appetiser to the main course.
In Saturday's final in Sydney the two Asian heavyweights will meet again, this time with full-strength starting lineups in a game that will feature a number of fascinating individual contests.
The Socceroos dominated possession in the January 17 clash, but it was South Korea which won the match thanks to a Lee Jeong-hyeop goal.
While the Taeguk Warriors enjoy playing with the ball at their feet under Stielike, the final is likely to follow a similar pattern.
Australia should look to initiate play while South Korea will remain solid and attempt to strike on the counter attack.
Here are a handful of the key battles which could determine which side lifts the trophy at the end of the night.
Mile Jedinak v Son Heung-min and Ki Sung-yueng
Photo: Mile Jedinak will likely require help in dealing with Ki Sung-yeong and Son Heung-min. (Getty Images)
---
Asian Cup final live on ABC
The Asian Cup final between Australia and South Korea will be broadcast live on ABC TV and radio. Watch online via iview ..
http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/football-asian-cup-australia-2015 .. or listen to the live stream ..
http://www.abc.net.au/radio/player/?station=extra .
See full ABC TV and radio broadcast details ..
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-04/asian-cup-2015-broadcast-schedule-abc-tv/5865358?section=sport.
---
As is so often the case in football, the battle in midfield in the Asian Cup final will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the match.
South Korea's two outstanding players patrol the middle of the pitch, with captain Ki Sung-yueng operating as a defensive shield and deep-lying playmaker, and the dynamic and highly skilled Son Heung-min providing the link between midfield and attack.
Son usually starts from wide positions but will often cut inside to attack through the centre. His pace and finishing ability make him lethal on the counter-attack and he is technically gifted enough to take defenders on and beat them.
Australia's captain Mile Jedinak is very much his side's leader on the pitch, but he is set to have his hands full ensuring South Korea's dangerman is closed down before he gets up a head of steam.
Jedinak does not have the pace of Son, so his positioning will have to be spot on, and he must ensure his distribution is precise so South Korea is not able to turn over possession and break into attack high up the pitch.
Massimo Luongo is Australia's chief creator, so will not be asked to over-burden himself defensively, meaning whoever Ange Postecoglou selects as the third midfielder will likely be tasked with stifling Ki's influence.
The Socceroos coach faces a critical decision on whether to send out the energetic Matt McKay, the defensively astute and intimidating Mark Milligan or a more attack-minded player in Mark Bresciano or James Troisi as his third midfielder.
Tim Cahill v Kim Young-gwon and Kwak Tae-hwi
Photo: Kim Young-gwon and Kwak Tae-hwi will need to be wary of Tim Cahill's aerial threat. (Getty Images)
South Korea's defence has been the best in the Asian Cup: the Taeguk Warriors are yet to concede a goal through the whole tournament.
In part this is due to Stielike turning out a side that remains compact without the ball and is comfortable in possession, but central defenders Kim Young-gwon and Kwak Tae-hwi certainly deserve some of the credit for the five consecutive clean sheets.
The South Koreans have not always looked entirely comfortable under pressure, however, especially from set piece situations and crosses into the box.
If there is one forward in world football able to exploit any aerial weakness, it is Australia's Tim Cahill.
At 178cm Cahill is shorter than both Kwak Tae-hwi (186cm) and Kim Young-gwon (187cm), but the flag-punching striker has made a career out of out-jumping defenders who are bigger than him.
The centre-backs will have to be close to flawless if they want to prevent the most celebrated Socceroo from adding to his legacy.
Lee Jeong-hyeop v Mat Ryan
Photo: Mat Ryan will have to decide on when to come off his line against Lee Jeong-hyeop. (Getty Images)
South Korea's target man Lee Jeong-hyeop copped something of a battering from Australia's big central defenders when these sides met in the group stage, but was still able to make the critical difference when he snuck in to poke the ball past Mat Ryan for the only goal of the game.
The Socceroos goalkeeper must be careful of exactly these types of darting runs in Saturday's final.
Matthew Spiranovic and Trent Sainsbury should once again be more than a match for the number 18 on the physical front, but both men have been caught flat footed on occasion in this tournament when zippy forwards have ghosted past them.
Ryan has excelled with the ball at his feet and shown himself to be an ever-improving shot-stopper, but his reading of the game will have to be at its sharpest against the in-form Lee Jeong-hyeop.
A goalkeeper's decisions to come off his line have to be made in a split second, but it is those split seconds which can often decide football matches.
Cha Du-ri v Jason Davidson
Photo: The battle down the flank between Jason Davidson and Cha Du-ri will be one to watch. (Getty Images)
Neither Jason Davidson nor veteran right-back Cha Du-ri made it on to the pitch when these two sides met in the group phase, but both have demonstrated in the subsequent matches how valuable they are to their respective teams .
Both are descended from national team royalty as well.
The 34-year-old South Korean right-back is the son of legendary Taeguk Warriors player Cha Bum-kun, while Davidson's father is 79-game Socceroos great Alan Davidson.
On Saturday night, whichever of the two who finds the best balance between defence and attack on the flank will help his team's cause immensely.
While Cha Du-ri may be at the opposite end of his career to 23-year-old Davidson, the Korean is still possessed with boundless energy and a desire to get forward as frequently as possible.
Left-back Davidson will need to be on high alert to stifle such advances, but at the same time be aware of the space behind the right-back which can be exploited.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-31/asian-cup-final-australia-v-south-korea-key-match-ups/6057636
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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