Indonesia Eliminates South Korea in AFC U-23 Asian Cup Quarterfinals

In a surprising victory, Indonesia's national under-23 football team, led by coach Shin Tae-yong, defeated powerhouse South Korea 11-10 on penalties in the quarterfinals of the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup after a thrilling 2-2 draw in regulation and extra time. The tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics men's football competition.

Indonesia took an early lead through a goal by Rafael Struick, but South Korea equalized before halftime. Indonesia regained the advantage before the break, only for South Korea to score a late equalizer to force extra time. In the penalty shootout, both goalkeepers stepped up to take spot kicks in a lengthy contest that ended 11-10 in Indonesia's favor.

The victory was especially meaningful for Shin Tae-yong, the South Korean-born head coach of Indonesia. Despite mixed feelings about eliminating his home country, Shin expressed happiness with the result. "I was coaching Indonesia at the time. Indonesia controlled the match and held a 2-1 lead before conceding a late equalizer, eventually winning 11-10 on penalties," Shin said, praising his players' collective confidence.

South Korea faced adversity during the match, losing their top scorer Lee Young-jun to a red card in the 70th minute. Head coach Hwang Sun-hong was also ejected in the second half. Indonesia capitalized on their numerical advantage, with a VAR decision overturning a crucial save by South Korea's goalkeeper in the shootout. Pratama Arhan scored the winning penalty to send Indonesia through.

Erick Thohir, chairman of the Football Association of Indonesia, announced an extension of Shin Tae-yong's contract until 2027 following the historic victory. Shin, who expects big things from Indonesian football in the future, has instilled belief in his players and looks forward to leading the team in their quest for Olympic qualification.

Key Takeaways

• Indonesia U-23 team defeated powerhouse South Korea 11-10 on penalties in AFC U-23 Cup quarterfinals.
• Victory secures Indonesia's spot in semifinals and brings them closer to their first Olympics since 1956.
• South Korea's streak of 9 consecutive Olympic men's football tournament appearances ends with this upset.
• Indonesia capitalized on South Korea's adversity, including a red card and coach ejection, to win the shootout.
• Indonesia extended coach Shin Tae-yong's contract until 2027 after the historic victory.