# Australia–South Korea football rivalry

The Australia–South Korea football rivalry is a sports rivalry that exists between the national association football teams of both Australia and South Korea. The rivalry is one of the most followed competitive rivalries in Asian football.

## Historical origin

South Korea first faced Australia in 1967 during a tour to South Vietnam playing a game in the 1967 South Vietnam Independence Cup. In this encounter, Australia beat South Korea 3–2 before eventually winning the friendly tournament. It was this friendly competition that the nickname of the Australian side, "Socceroos", was born.
Just two years later they met in the first round of qualification for the 1970 FIFA World Cup in a group that included Japan. All the games were played in South Korea and Australia topped the group progressing to the next round before losing to Israel.
The two teams were to meet again in the final round of the 1974 World Cup qualifiers in late 1973 and on this occasion, the winner would progress to the 1974 FIFA World Cup. The teams first met in Sydney on 28 October 1973 and played out a nil-all draw. The second leg was in Seoul on 10 November 1973. South Korea scored early in the 15th minute and then again in the 27th minute. However, Australia were to quickly reply with a goal by Branko Buljevic just two minutes later. Shortly after half time, Ray Baartz equalised. The score remained two-all at full time. As this was prior to the introduction of the away goals rule a third match was hastily arranged and, just three days later they met in Hong Kong. Jimmy Mackay scored the only goal of the match resulting in Australia qualifying for their first World Cup Finals.
In 1977 they were to meet again in a five team group for qualification to the 1978 FIFA World Cup. Australia won one and drew one, although neither were to proceed.
When South Korea won a penalty shoot-out on 21 June 1987 in the President's Cup it was the first time that the Koreans had defeated Australia although it wasn't until 6 September 1990 in a friendly in Seoul that South Korea had won during regulation time. It was the 14th meeting between the two countries.
During the 1990s they played a number of friendly matches and then met in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup which was hosted in Korea. South Korea won the match 1–0 which gave them their first competitive victory over Australia although South Korea would not qualify to the knockout stage whereas Australia would. After Australia entered the Asian Football Confederation in 2006 the two teams had to wait until the 2011 AFC Asian Cup before they met again in a competitive fixture. On this occasion the match finished 1–1 in the group stage in Qatar.
They were to be drawn again in the same group when Australia hosted the 2015 AFC Asian Cup with Korea inflicting Australia's only defeat in the tournament, 1–0 in Brisbane, which was also South Korea's first ever win against Australia in Australia. However, Australia won a dramatic final in extra time in Sydney in front of a crowd of 76,385. Massimo Luongo scored just prior to half time. In second half injury time Son Heung-min equalised for the Koreans taking the match into extra time. James Troisi then scored the winner for Australia to claim their first Asian Cup.
Australia and South Korea are two of only five Asian national teams to have reached the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup. Likewise, they are also two countries to have won the AFC Asian Cup. Both Australia and South Korea are also successful in other major competitions: Australia was one of only three AFC teams to have reached the final of a senior FIFA competition, in 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup; while Australia and South Korea's youth teams were also finalists in FIFA U-17 World Cup and FIFA U-20 World Cup.

## Matches

| # | Date | Competition | Home team | Score | Away team | Home scorers | Away scorers | Venue |
| 1 | 14 November 1967 | 1967 South Vietnam Independence Cup | Australia | 3–2 | South Korea | Billy Vojtek 26' Attila Abonyi 52' Johnny Warren 84' | See Young-keun 1' Huh Yoon-jung 85' | Cong Hoa Stadium, Saigon |
| 2 | 14 October 1969 | 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification | South Korea | 1–2 | Australia | Lee Yi-woo 44' | Johnny Watkiss 37' Tommy McColl 78' | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul |
| 3 | 20 October 1969 | 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification | South Korea | 1–1 | Australia | Park So-il 29' | Ray Baartz 59' | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul |
| 4 | 22 October 1972 | International friendly | South Korea | 1–1 | Australia | Lee Cha-man 65' | Max Tolson 12' | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul |
| 5 | 24 October 1972 | International friendly | South Korea | 0–2 | Australia | | Ray Baartz 12' Jim Armstrong 42' | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul |
| 6 | 28 October 1973 | 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification | Australia | 0–0 | South Korea | | | Sydney Sports Ground, Sydney |
| 7 | 11 November 1973 | 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification | South Korea | 2–2 | Australia | Kim Jae-han 15' Ko Jae-wook 27' | Branko Buljevic 29' Ray Baartz 48' | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul |
| 8 | 13 November 1973 | 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification | Australia | 1–0 | South Korea | Jimmy Mackay 70' | | Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong |
| 9 | 28 August 1977 | 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification | Australia | 2–1 | South Korea | John Kosmina 63', 75' | Cha Bum-kun 23' | Sydney Sports Ground, Sydney |
| 10 | 23 October 1977 | 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification | South Korea | 0–0 | Australia | | | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul |
| 11 | 21 June 1987 | 1987 Korea Cup | South Korea | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p) | Australia | Kim Pan-keun 72' | Graham Arnold 83' | Seoul Olympic Stadium, Seoul |
| 12 | 6 September 1990 | International friendly | South Korea | 1–0 | Australia | Byun Byung-joo 70' | | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul |
| 13 | 9 September 1990 | International friendly | South Korea | 1–0 | Australia | Seo Jung-won 70' | | Kudok Stadium, Busan |
| 14 | 14 June 1991 | 1991 Korea Cup | South Korea | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p) | Australia | | | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul |
| 15 | 24 September 1993 | International friendly | South Korea | 1–1 | Australia | Seo Jung-won 38' | Damian Mori 80' | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul |
| 16 | 26 September 1993 | International friendly | South Korea | 1–0 | Australia | Lee Ki-bum 76' | | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul |
| 17 | 22 January 1997 | International friendly | Australia | 2–1 | South Korea | Matthew Bingley 37' Alistair Edwards 72' | Ha Seok-ju 76' | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| 18 | 11 February 1998 | International friendly | Australia | 1–0 | South Korea | Ernie Tapai 39' | | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney |
| 19 | 7 October 2000 | 2000 LG Cup | South Korea | 4–2 | Australia | Sim Jae-won 44' Noh Jung-yoon 48' Seol Ki-hyeon 65' Lee Dong-gook 90+2' (pen.) | Paul Agostino 30', 35' | National Stadium, Dubai |
| 20 | 6 June 2001 | 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup | South Korea | 1–0 | Australia | Hwang Sun-hong 24' | | Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon |
| 21 | 5 September 2009 | International friendly | South Korea | 3–1 | Australia | Park Chu-young 5' Lee Jung-soo 21' Seol Ki-hyeon 87' | Patrick Kisnorbo 33' | Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul |
| 22 | 14 January 2011 | 2011 AFC Asian Cup | Australia | 1–1 | South Korea | Mile Jedinak 62' | Koo Ja-cheol 24' | Al Gharafa Stadium, Doha |
| 23 | 14 November 2012 | International friendly | South Korea | 1–2 | Australia | Lee Dong-gook 11' | Nikita Rukavytsya 43' Robert Cornthwaite 87' | Hwaseong Stadium, Hwaseong |
| 24 | 20 July 2013 | 2013 EAFF Championship | South Korea | 0–0 | Australia | | | Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul |
| 25 | 17 January 2015 | 2015 AFC Asian Cup | Australia | 0–1 | South Korea | | Lee Jeong-hyeop 33' | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| 26 | 31 January 2015 | 2015 AFC Asian Cup | Australia | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | South Korea | Massimo Luongo 45' James Troisi 105' | Son Heung-min 90+1' | Stadium Australia, Sydney |
| 27 | 17 November 2018 | International friendly | Australia | 1–1 | South Korea | Massimo Luongo 90+4' | Hwang Ui-jo 22' | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| 28 | 7 June 2019 | International friendly | South Korea | 1–0 | Australia | Hwang Ui-jo 76' | | Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan |
| 29 | 2 February 2024 | 2023 AFC Asian Cup | Australia | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | South Korea | Craig Goodwin 42' | Hwang Hee-chan 90+6' (pen.) Son Heung-min 104' | Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah |
The following fixtures are considered 'A' Internationals by Football Australia only and are included in Australia's official statistics with regard to matches played, caps, records etc.
| Date | Competition | Home team | Score | Away team | Home scorers | Away scorers | Venue |
| 17 October 1982 | 1982 Merlion Cup | Australia | 3–2 | South Korea B | Phil O'Connor 10' Dave Mitchell 31' George Christopoulos 61' | Oh Suk-tae 59' Park Chang-sun 83' | Singapore |
| 15 December 1983 | 1983 Merlion Cup | Australia | 3–1 | South Korea B | John Kosmina 17' Phil O'Connor 58' Jimmy Cant 74' | Lee Hyun-chul 37' | Singapore |

## Statistics
### Head-to-head record

    As of 2 February 2024
| Venue | Australia wins | South Korea wins | Draws | Australia goals | South Korea goals |
| At Australia home | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 |
| At South Korea home | 3 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 16 |
| At neutral venue | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Total | 9 | 9 | 11 | 29 | 30 |

### Top goalscorers

    As of 2 February 2024
| Rank | Player | Goals |
| 1 | Ray Baartz | 3 |
| 2 | Paul Agostino | 2 |
| 2 | Hwang Ui-jo | 2 |
| 2 | John Kosmina | 2 |
| 2 | Lee Dong-gook | 2 |
| 2 | Massimo Luongo | 2 |
| 2 | Seo Jung-won | 2 |
| 2 | Seol Ki-hyeon | 2 |
| 2 | Son Heung-min | 2 |