Spurs forward Son Heung-min attempted to defuse the pressure surrounding the Asian Games football final that could make or break his career on Friday, as Japan edged China to win the women’s gold.
Rarely has a player had so much at stake as Son, who faces a 21-month spell of military service unless the South Korea team win an exemption by beating Japan on Saturday.
But the 26-year-old World Cup star did his best to downplay the situation, and said he trusted his young team-mates to keep the title in South Korean hands.
“Of course it’s an important game, it’s a final, but it’s normal – I’m not thinking of it any differently,” said Son, one of three over-age players named for the under-23 team.
“But we are ready and we’re hungry to win the tournament. We have a lot of young, inexperienced players but when I look into their eyes I can see that hunger.”
Son will hope the men’s final doesn’t turn out like the women’s, a tense and attritional match in heavy rain which Japan settled in the last minute.
With only 30 seconds on the clock, forward Mana Iwabuchi crossed from the right wing to set up substitute Yuika Sugasawa’s glancing header – Japan’s first and only attempt on target against the Steel Roses.
Japan’s women also snatched hockey gold with a 2-1 win over India, and Yuko Takahashi won the women’s triathlon as the Japanese title haul swelled by 10 to 69, still a distance from China’s uncatchable 118.
South Korea lie third on the medals table with 43, ahead of hosts Indonesia on 30 – a record for a Southeast Asian country.
Qatar’s team brimming with naturalised players won the men’s handball, beating Bahrain 32-27 in the final, to become only the second country after South Korea to successfully defend the title.
Buy an annual Scroll Membership to support independent journalism and get special benefits.
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!