Australia’s aspirations in the Women’s Asian Cup suffered a sobering setback when the Matildas let slip a golden opportunity to lead their group, ending in a 3-3 draw against South Korea.

Sunday’s match at Stadium Australia, cheered by a crowd of 60,279, saw South Korea advance as group winners. The Matildas’ second-half struggles underlined the areas needing improvement for coach Joe Montemurro’s squad.

To secure the top spot in Group A, Australia needed a victory in Sydney due to their inferior goal difference. Finishing first would have allowed the team to avoid traveling for the rest of the tournament, a strategic advantage sacrificed with this result.

Reflecting on the game, Montemurro admitted, “We got some chances we probably should have converted, but we didn’t manage the moments well with the ball, that’s the honest truth.” Despite a goal from Sam Kerr and two from Alanna Kennedy, the Matildas couldn’t clinch the win.

As a result, Australia will proceed as the group’s runners-up, facing a road trip to Perth for a quarter-final match against either North Korea or China, the second-place team from Group B, scheduled for Friday.

The Matildas initially led 2-1 at halftime, thanks to the efforts of captain Kerr and Kennedy. However, their advantage slipped away in the 15 minutes following the break, allowing South Korea to seize a draw.

“The comments at halftime were to control the ball,” Montemurro said.

“We were in control and we finished the first half quite well and we were probably more proactive.”

Of further concern for Montemurro will be the fitness of Steph Catley, who wore a cannoning shot to the head after just six minutes.

The left back was initially cleared to play on before going off for Courtney Nevin after South Korea’s 13th minute opener.

Centre-back Wini Heatley was caught upfield and the Koreans played in behind her, with Mun Eun-Ju tucking a Jeon Yugyeong cross past Mackenzie Arnold.

Australia looked to have found some fluency after Montemurro switched Mary Fowler to the left flank and Caitlin Foord to the right midway through the first half.

The move opened up the Matildas’ attack and both Fowler and Foord were the providers for their side’s first two goals.

Fowler’s cross across the six-yard box helped set up Kennedy, who bundled the ball over the line in the 32nd minute to pull Australia level.

Foord blew a couple of handy chances before she set up Kerr in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time to give the home side a 2-1 lead at the break.

But after doing all the hard work to take the lead, the Matildas couldn’t hold on to it.

Kim Shin-Ji buried a 53rd minute penalty after Nevin’s hand blocked a Kang Chae-Rim shot.

Nevin was crestfallen and appeared gun-shy afterwards which allowed South Korea to push ahead when Kang was given space by the leftback to fizz a 57th minute shot past Arnold.

Kennedy added a second — her fourth goal of the tournament — in the dying stages but Australia’s response in search of a winner came all too late.

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