Asian Games 2026: South Korea to battle familiar rivals Japan men's football final

OSAKA — South Korea's Bae Jun-ho struck late as they came from behind to snatch a 2-1 victory over China on Wednesday (Sept 30) and reach a record fourth successive Asian Games final in men's football.

The defending champions will bid for an unprecedented fourth straight gold medal in Saturday's final at Toyota stadium against familiar foes Japan, who beat Uzbekistan 9-8 on penalties after the match was locked at 1-1 at the end of extra time.

Another South Korean gold would bring their players an exemption from the country's compulsory military service for adult males as Asian Games champions.

They have stand-in captain Eom Ji-sung to thank for reaching the final as he set up goals for Bae and Lee Young-jun.

Bae volleyed home in the 82nd minute from next to the far post after latching onto a long, lofted cross from Eom, who stepped up to replace injured skipper Lee Gi-hyuk.

Bae said he and Eom had plotted the winning goal at halftime when the game was level at 1-1.

"I knew he was going to go for the far post and that's why I ran behind the left back," Bae told Reuters.

"He called to me and then I scored. Beautiful pass, it was really easy to score."

Lee headed in Eom's corner after 33 minutes to cancel out China forward Wang Yudong's opening strike.

Chinese regret

China bowed out from their first Games semi-finals in 28 years with some regret, having gone one step further as Under-23 Asian Cup runners-up in January.

Midfielder Xu Bin said Chinese football was still moving in the right direction after decades of stagnation.

"There are more young players like me carving out careers in Europe," the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder told Reuters.

"They're going overseas and experiencing a higher level of football."

Defender Peng Xiao missed a golden chance to put the Chinese ahead for a second time in the 62nd minute when a poor clearing header landed at his feet right in front of goal but his low shot fizzed wide of the post.

The Koreans flirted with disaster in the 79th minute when a diving Lee nearly headed a cross into his own net, the ball flashing by the post.

Bae gave them breathing room, though, by slamming in their second goal.

Japan, runners-up in the last two Games, also had to rally from behind after Sardorbek Bakhromov scored early for Uzbekistan, with a Sena Ishibashi header in the 88th minute taking the match into extra time.

Uzbekistan's bid for a first final since their sole title in Hiroshima 1994 ended when defender Kuvonchbek Khushvaktov was denied by the crossbar in the shootout.

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