The Qantas Socceroos have lost 3-1 to Korea Republic in their friendly international played at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Saturday night.
A poor start proved costly for Australia and they were always chasing the game against a Korean side that has now gone 26 games unbeaten.
Korea opened the scoring after five minutes through Park Chu-Young and doubled the lead in the 21st minute with a goal from Lee Jung-Soo.
Australia got itself back into the game in the 35th minute, Patrick Kisnorbo heading home a Mark Bresciano free kick.
After dominating the second half, the Koreans killed off the game in the 87th minute, when Seol Ki-Hyun headed home a great cross from Park Ji-Sung.
The first 30 minutes was all Korea Republic as Australia failed to get to grips with a poor pitch and the slick Korean passing and pressing game.
It took just five minutes for Korea to score, capitalising on a mistake by Shane Stefanutto, who tried to keep Jason Culina’s wayward pass in from going out for a throw-in.
He only succeeded in playing the ball to Lee Chung-Yong, who strode forward with purpose and played the perfect ball in behind the defence to Park Chu-Young, who slid his shot past Schwarzer from six yards.
Australia’s first shot came after 14 minutes when McDonald went close with a shot from the corner of the box that went just wide of the far post.
Schwarzer was nearly embarrassed in the 19th minute, when he almost let a Park Chu-Young shot over the goal line but recovered to take at the second attempt.
Two minutes later though, Schwarzer was beaten again, when Lee Jung-Soo was left unmarked close to goal to flick home from a well-worked set play.
Both sides traded half chances with Mark Schwarzer making a good save from Ki Sung-Yueng, before Kisnorbo stepped up and brought Australia back into the game, heading home Bresciano’s free kick.
This started a good period for Australia and Jason Culina went close in injury time, his shot was going wide.
Korea was looking threatening in the early stages of the second half and Kim Dong-Jin forced Schwarzer into a scrambling save from his header.
Kennedy then went close to an equaliser, heading wide a long throw by Milligan.
From then on it was all Australia, Stefanutto almost scoring a screamer with a left foot volley that Lee Woon-Jae tipped over the bar and then five minutes later the keeper tipped a Mark Bresciano free kick over the bar.
With Australia pressing, Korean once again capitalised on an Australian turnover in the middle of the park, Park Ji-Sung released on left.
The Manchester United star then showed his class laying on the perfect cross for Seol Ki-Hyun whose downward header just got across the line before Mark Schwarzer could claw it back.
Kennedy almost snatched a late goal for Australia, his header from Bresciano’s dangerous free kick, striking the post.
Match Details
Korea Republic 3
Australia 1 (Patrick Kisnorbo 35’)
Courtesy of the Football Federation of Australia