The third time was the charm for Australia, as the Asian Cup hosts captured their first-ever title with a 2-1 victory against South Korea after disappointment in their two previous opportunities.
New York Red Bulls Designated Player Tim Cahill started and played 63 minutes for the victorious Socceroos, departing with Australia holding on to a 1-0 lead following a long-range strike from player of the tournament Massimo Luongo.
The Koreans, two-time Asian Cup winners themselves, stormed back to tie the game at 1-1 in second-half stoppage time via Son Hyeung-min, but substitute James Troisi bagged the winner from close range to spark celebrations in Sydney.
It may have been the 35-year-old Cahill's final international appearance following a tournament in which he scored three goals, including both in a 2-0 quarterfinal victory against China. Before the final, Australia's best-ever goalscorer with 39 goals in 82 games said he would address his Socceroos future following the tournament.
"I'm not sure [about my future], but that's something I'll talk about after [the game]," Cahill said. "My main focus is the final and hopefully trying to win something that's really special for our country."
Special for Cahill as well, and perhaps a fitting cap on a career that includes three World Cups and the honor of being the first-ever Australian goalscorer on that massive stage as well as the Asian Cup.
He may no longer be the captain of the squad – Mile Jedinak wore the armband in the final – but Cahill's profile is such that he wrote a column in the Sydney Daily Telegraph ahead of Saturday's clash with South Korea, calling the opportunity to host and play in Asian Cup final one of the "best moments in Australian football."
Meanwhile, Cahill's future in MLS is murky, with reports linking him with a move to the Al Wahda FC, a club based in Abu Dhabi which competes in the United Arab Emirates Pro-League.
