The South Korean men's national team have ended their Asian Cup campaign with a heartbreaking defeat against the Chinese side, leaving them in last place in Group D and missing out on a spot in the knockout round. The game was a closely fought affair, with both teams displaying impressive attacking prowess but ultimately fell short of their goals.

The first half saw both teams struggle to find the back of the net, with both sides managing only one goal each. However, it was not until the second half that things started to come together for the Koreans. In the 55th minute, Lee Hyung-kwan scored his first international goal for the South Korean national team, setting up the scoreline at 1-1.

However, it wasn't long before the Chinese side found their rhythm. They opened the scoring in the 68th minute when Zhang Xuehong scored his third international goal of the tournament. This gave the Chinese side a comfortable lead and sent shockwaves through the South Korean crowd.

Despite this, the Koreans couldn't get past the Chinese defense as they struggled to break down the opposition's defense. The game went into extra time without any clear winner, and in the end, the match came down to a penalty shootout, where the South Korean team won 4-2 after extra-time.

In the final minutes of the shoot-out, the game became even more intense as both teams tried to salvage a point. With just seconds left on the clock, the South Korean team were awarded a penalty kick, which they converted by goalkeeper Park Sung-hyun to give the South Korean team the victory.

The loss meant that South Korea will now enter the knockouts stage of the Asian Cup, hoping to qualify for the next edition of the tournament. While it was a disappointing result, it also served as a reminder of the challenges facing the South Korean men's national team in the upcoming years. The team will need to continue working hard and staying focused if they want to progress further in the competition.