Son burns Vietnam as Koreans reach final

Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min played a captain’s role as South Korea beat plucky Vietnam 3-1 to reach the Asian Games final on Wednesday.

The World Cup star, who is missing the start of the Premier League season to represent his country in Indonesia, is now just 90 minutes away from a gold medal that would spare him a career-threatening spell of military service.

Korean law states that every able-bodied man must report for national service for 21 months before their 28th birthday. At 26, Son is fast running out of time to gain the exemption offered to all Olympic medalists or Asian Games champions. South Korea’s soccer team won gold at the 2014 Asian Games, but Son’s former club Bayer Leverkusen refused to release him for that tournament.

A double from Lee Seungwoo and another goal from free-scoring striker Hwang Uijo sent the Koreans through to the final.

Lee smashed four-time champions South Korea in front after just seven minutes in Cibinong, near Jakarta, following some nifty footwork from Hwang Hee-chan.

Son’s clever flick provided the assist for Hwang Ui-jo to extend their advantage just before the half-hour mark.

Lee stabbed in his second, and his team’s third, 10 minutes after the interval before Vietnam pulled one back through a dipping free kick from Tran Minh Vuong with 20 minutes left.