Socceroos take Asian Cup from South Korea with extra-time winner

A superb goal to Massimo Luongo on the brink of half-time put Australia in the box seat for the result and that effort looked to be the winner as time in the second half ticked away.

But with Australia seemingly about to claim the trophy, Son Heung-min found space deep into injury time and showed tremendous composure to squeeze the ball past Mathew Ryan from an acute angle.

That sent the match to extra time, when the two sides – both exhausted – tried to conjure up a winner to prevent a penalty shoot-out.

The decisive goal came for Australia from the feet of James Troisi, who earns his place in the pantheon of Australian sport for securing the nation's most important international football triumph. But for his exceptional role in the goal, substitute Tomi Juric will be forever remembered as the man who made it happen.

He tussled with Kim Jin-su and the Korean left-back clearly fouled Juric once if not twice on the edge of the box, only for the Western Sydney Wanderers striker to keep on playing.

Somehow managing to prise the ball free of Kim's grasp, Juric squared the ball into open space and Troisi was on hand to guide the ball into the empty net, sparking wild scenes of jubilation.

Australia still had to hang on for the second period of extra time but, unlike in the regulation 90 minutes, the Socceroos would not let the game slip, much to the delight of the crowd of 76,385, whose fingernails were already chewed to the quick.

The final was every bit as gripping as had been predicted and ended as a contender for the most physical match of the whole tournament. That aggressive element only added to the tension of the occasion.

Talk coming into the match largely concerned Ivan Franjic and whether the right-back would recover in time with a hip injury but coach Ange Postecoglou had enough faith in the Torpedo Moscow defender to name an unchanged line-up.

Australia was assertive in the air and on the ground but the Taeguk Warriors lived up to their name, scarcely giving an inch.

The ferocious tone was set in the opening minutes when Son cut inside Jason Davidson and blasted well over, only to be met by a solid hip-and-shoulder from Mile Jedinak.

The match was relatively even for the first 30 minutes but the South Koreans, spearheaded by midfield duo Ki Sung-yeung and Park Joo-ho gradually worked their way on top, with the brilliant Son always looming the most capable.

However, Luongo's goal came just as the pressure was mounting from the visitors and gave Australia 45 minutes to hold on. He was set up by a fine build-up from Mark Milligan and man-of-the-match Trent Sainsbury, who gave Luongo an opportunity to turn and fire into the bottom corner from 25 metres out.

Marshalled by Jedinak, who led with conviction and tremendous strength, the Socceroos appeared to have defied the Koreans to win their first major international trophy as the match turned to the second half.

Under pressure, Matthew Spiranovic picked up a caution for a rogue challenge on Nam Tae Hee, and the resulting free-kick ended with Kwak meeting a header that went straight to Ryan.

The big call was made by Postecoglou to bring off talisman Tim Cahill off in the 63rd minute for Juric, with Nam coming off for Lee Keun-ho at the same time.

Jedinak picked up a yellow for a late clip on Lee, meaning another Australian would have to see out the match on tenterhooks. Franjic, too, was lucky to stay on the park after a rough shoulder charge.

The Socceroos began visibly tiring as the match wore on and Robbie Kruse was injured, meaning Troisi was given the final 20 minutes to help ice the match.

Franjic's injured hip couldn't take more either and Matt McKay was sent in, with Milligan going to right-back. Australia was limping to the line. Hopes were seemingly blown apart as Son sent the match into extra time, giving 15,000 of the 76,385 on hand hope that a red miracle was possible.