[Graphic News] South Korea to face Jordan in Asian Cup semis

The semifinals for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar have been set: Jordan will be facing South Korea at midnight Tuesday, and Iran will go against the host Qatar at midnight Wednesday.

From the start, South Korea has made it clear that it was aiming for the Champion’s trophy. Still, it has limped its way into the semifinals in a series of disappointing matches that have brought significant criticism of the team’s head coach, Juergen Klinsmann.

Still, the team has progressed to the point where only two matches remain between it and the ultimate goal. The team will face Jordan again after having walked away with a 2-2 draw the last time they met during the Group E phase.

Qatar, the host of the 2023 Asian Cup, will be facing Iran, who made it to the semis by stunning head coach Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan - long considered the favorites to win the tournament.

Many Japanese fans and critics have been evaluating the current iteration of the men’s soccer national team as “strongest in history,” but Iran rallied to come back in the 55th minute with an equalizer, and then managed to slam in a penalty kick that ended Japan’s quest for a historic fifth Asian Cup title.

By Nam Kyung-don(don@heraldcorp.com)