DOHA: South Korea bowed out of the Asian Cup in style by edging Uzbekistan 3-2 in an entertaining third-place playoff Friday to secure an automatic place at the 2015 tournament in Australia. Cho Kwang-rae's men looked on course for a handsome victory at 3-0 up in the first-half, but Uzbekistan clawed back the deficit to salvage some pride after its 6-0 drubbing by Australia in the semifinals. Koo Ja-cheol's fifth goal of the competition, making him outright top scorer, set South Korea on its way, before Ji Dong-won claimed a brace with a pair of artfully constructed strikes. Goals either side of half-time from Alexander Geynrikh brought the Uzbeks back into the game, but Korea held on to claim third place at the continental showpiece for the third time in four tournaments. Captain Park Ji-sung was left out of the Korea squad, raising the possibility that he has played his last game for his country as he is expected to announce his international retirement after the tournament. The Manchester United midfielder, who became the first Asian to compete in a European Champions League final when United lost to Barcelona in 2009, joins experienced fullback Lee Young-pyo, who won his 127th cap Friday, in stepping down from the national team. “Two players of our team Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo are retiring today from international football, they've done a remarkable job for the prosperity of Korean football,” Cho told reporters. Both players were tossed in to the air by other squad members after the final whistle. Harry Kewell already has Champions League and FA Cup medals from his club career, but he knows he will never get a better chance than Saturday's Asian Cup final to add an international prize to his collection. Australia faces Japan in its first final at only its second Asian Cup after joining the Asian fold in 2006. “I'm a realistic person and I think it'll be very hard for Australia to win the World Cup,” Kewell said. $333,000 for flood victims Ticket revenue from the Asian Cup semifinals raised around $330,000 for flood victims in Australia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, competition organizers revealed Thursday. The Asian Football Confederation and Qatar Football Association had earlier announced that money from ticket sales would go to help people affected by floods.
