Roundup: S. Korea deny Australia top spot in Asian Cup with crucial victory

Host nation Australia failed to secure top spot in Group A of the Asian Cup after succumbing to a 1-0 loss at the hands of South Korea in Brisbane on Saturday.

Try as they might for an equalizing goal, which would have been enough for the Socceroos to finish the group stages on a positive note, Ange Postecoglou's side just couldn't find an answer to Lee Jeong-Hyeop's first-half opener.

The result means Australia will play China in a highly-anticipated quarter-final clash on Thursday, with South Korea to face the winner of Sunday's match between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.

In the day's coinciding fixture, Oman recorded a fortuitous 1-0 victory over an unlucky Kuwait side in Newcastle, with Abdulaziz Al Muqbali the scorer of the game's only goal.

But that was simply a dead rubber, with far more relying on the outcome of the match in Brisbane.

In the knowledge that only a victory would be enough for South Korea to seal top spot in Group A, the visitors started strongly.

Kwak Tae-Hwi glanced a header wide after Mat Ryan failed to collect from a corner, before Lee Jeong-Hyeop broke the deadlock on 32 minutes with a wonderful team goal that carved open the Australian back four.

Ki Sung-Yueng's defence-splitting pass sent Lee Keun-Ho to the byline. His cross then found Lee Jeong-Hyeop, who managed to get the slightest of touches on his finish, beating Ryan and sneaking into the far corner.

Australia set about finding an immediate equalizer, with the impressive Massimo Luongo again at the heart of every foray forward.

The diminutive midfielder outmuscled his marker and squared for James Troisi, but he dragged his shot into the side netting after a neat turn inside the area.

The Socceroos, who had made three changes to their front three, with the inexperienced trio of Tomi Juric, Nathan Burns and Troisi all starting together for the first time, looked disjointed in attack and deservedly went to the break behind.

After the interval, South Korea's biggest concern looked to be their fitness. Both Park Joo-Ho and Koo Ja-Cheol were stretchered off, as Uli Stielike's side began to resemble the walking wounded.

Realizing their need to get onto the front food, Australia attempted to turn the momentum of the match. Juric played a quick give-and-go with Ivan Franjic, however met the return pass with a spooned shot that comfortably cleared the crossbar.

Australia was turning the screw, gradually applying more and more pressure on the South Korean goal in the search for an equalizer. The Socceroos had 67 percent possession and were dominant the contest, but couldn't force their way through.

Burns had a fantastic opportunity to level the scores, weaving his way through the opposition defence with a fantastic individual run, before angling his shot on target. However, Kim Jin-Hyeon got down low to palm the ball away.

Kim Jin-Hyeon would again prove South Korea's hero just moments later, denying Robbie Kruse's point-blank effort.

Kruse, on as a second-half substitute, jinxed past his marker and had the goal at his mercy, only to be stopped in his tracks by a superb reflex save.

It was Australia's last significant effort on goal, with time running out in their desperate search for a last-gasp goal.

"Obviously we're disappointed that we couldn't get the result we needed," Postecoglou told Fox Sports Australia after the match. "We conceded a really poor goal, in which we just switched off momentarily.

"After that, we certainly created enough chances to win the game. We just lacked that cutting edge up front and the keeper made a couple of wonderful saves and unfortunately for us, we didn't get the result."

In the match being played simultaneously in Newcastle, Oman salvaged their campaign somewhat with a 1-0 win over Kuwait.

With only pride to play for, both sides struggled to create chances throughout the contest and went into the break goalless.

Kuwait, however, appeared to be on top and had mustered 11 shots on goal before Oman registered their first. But the Omani side would make the most of that opportunity, with Al Muqbali finding the game's solitary goal.

Despite Kuwait peppering their opposition in the hope of a late equaliser, they couldn't find a reply and finished the tournament without a point.

Oman, meanwhile, ended their Asian Cup campaign in third place. Endi