Australia's 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup™ campaign has ended in the quarter-finals after a last-gasp 2-1 defeat to Korea Republic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Shin Min-Ha's 88th minute header from a corner broke the hearts of the valiant young Australians, who clawed back level in the 51st minute after falling behind in the first half.
Head coach Tony Vidmar made four changes to his final squad of the group stage, with Aidan Simmons (Western Sydney Wanderers), Jed Drew (TSV Hartberg), Louis Agosti (Dolomiti Bellunesi), and Mathias Macallister (Sydney FC) joining the starting XI.
The match had a lively start, with Jed Drew managing the first shot on target in the third minute which goalkeeper Hong Seong-Min easily saved, before Baek Ga-On had Australians worried a minute later when he almost caught Steven Hall way off his line, but the floated effort went high and wide of the target.
The two sides began to settle on the ball with little chances created, although Kim Dong-Jin did attempt a long range effort that went straight at Hall in the 19th minute.
The tempo of the match then changed two minutes later when Korea Republic opened the scoring. A brilliant long pass over the top from Lee Hyun-Yong found Baek Ga-On, whose first time volley was too good for Hall to save.
The Aussies almost had an instant reply but Aidan Simmons' effort fizzed inches wide of the far post.
Seven minutes before half-time, Tony Vidmar's men thought they had a chance to equalise from the penalty spot when a handball was spotted by referee Fu Ming. But a Video Assistant Review (VAR) intervention showed that a ricochet off the defender's own body preceded the handball, and so the spot kick was overturned.
In the final minute of first-half added on time, Australia appeared to created its best chance when Jordi Valadon was found unmarked in a dangerous, close-range area but Hong Seong-Min fantastically parried the strike at the near post. It wouldn't have mattered though, with the young Melbourne Victory man offside.
Seconds after half-time, the "Olyroos" thought they had a massive opportunity to equalise as Yaya Dukuly's header glanced wide, but the Adelaide United winger was also offside, and it wouldn't have counted.
The persistence of the Aussies finally paid off five minutes after the break, when some quick feet from Luka Jovanovic helped sneak the ball in the back of the net to equalise. Jed Drew went on a marauding run and then played a perfectly timed through ball for the goalscorer, who took the ball wide to a seemingly tight angle before surprising everyone to score.
Tony Vidmar made a number of changes just after the hour mark, including bringing on Marcus Younis who then created Australia's best next chance - an effort which trickled just wide of the far post.
Another one of Vidmar's substitutes, Aydan Hammond, almost won the match with five minutes left but Korea Republic's shot-stopper did very well with an outstretched hand to deny the Australians a winner from close range.
Up the other end of the pitch moments later, in the 88th minute, Australian hearts were broken when Shin Min-Ha rose highest at a corner to header the winner into the back of the net, sparking wild celebrations for the Koreans.
Australian substitute James Overy had one final chance when he got his head on a cross into the box, but his attempt went wide of the near post seconds before the full-time whistle blew.
Match Details
Australia: 1 (Luka Jovanovic 51')
Korea Republic: 2 (Baek Ga-On 21', Baek Ga-On 88')
Date: Sunday, 11 January 2026
Time: 2.30pm (local) / 10.30pm (AEDT)
Venue: Al Shabab FC Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Broadcast: Paramount+
Australia Line Up:
1. Steven Hall
2. Aidan Simmons (21. James Overy 81')
3. Joshua Rawlins (C)
6. Kaelan Majekodunmi
7. Jed Drew (19. Marcus Younis 65')
8. Jordi Valadon
11. Yaya Dukuly
15. Nathan Paull
16. Luka Jovanovic (9. Nathanael Blair 81')
20. Louis Agosti (17. Jaylan Pearman 74')
23. Mathias Macallister (10. Aydan Hammond 73')
Subs not used:
4. Kane Vidmar
5. Giuseppe Bovalina
12. Lachlan Allen (GK)
13. Ariath Piol
14. Ethan Alagich
18. Dylan Peraic-Cullen (GK)
22. Marcus Humbert
Korea Republic Line Up:
2. Kang Min-Jun
3. Bae Hyun-Seo
5. Lee Hyun-Yong
7. Kang Seong-Jin (4. Jo Hyun-Tae 90+4')
8. Kim Dong-Jin
15. Baek Ga-On (18. Jeong Jae-Sang 77')
17. Kim Yong-Hak (13. Kim Do-Hyun 46')
19. Lee Geon-Hee
21. Hong Seong-Min (GK)
22. Jang Seok-Hwan
23. Shin Min-Ha
Subs not used:
1. Moon Hyun-Ho
6. Lee Chan-Ouk
9. Kim Tae-Won
11. Jung Ji-Hun
12. Hwang Jae-Yun
14. Jung Seung-Bae
16. Kim Han-Seo
20. Park Jun-Seo
Yellow cards:
19. Lee Geon-Hee 90+4'
Red cards:
Nil