Regulation time failed to break the deadlock and it took a moment of magic from substitute Al Hassan Toure in the 102nd minute for the Olyroos to claim a 1-0 victory to advance to their first AFC U23 Championship semi-finals.

Arnold, who also manages the Socceroos, acknowledged the difficulty his side faced and revealed he was forced to make several strategic adjustments through the 120 minutes and praised his players for their ability to adapt.

Substitute Al Hassan Toure’s goal in the 101st minute of a closely-fought encounter helped guarantee Australia’s progress – and the nation’s best-ever finish at the tournament – on a night when the Olyroos were forced to overcome stiff resistance to ensure their ticket through to the next round.

While the result brought heartbreak for the valiant Syrians, it leaves Graham Arnold’s charges now facing a last four encounter with either Korea Republic or Jordan – the winners of which will be guaranteed a place at Tokyo 2020.

Al Hamdan struck decisively from the spot after he had been pulled back on his way into the area, with referee Ahmed Al Kaf awarding the penalty after confirmation of the offence by the Video Assistant Referee.

The goal was a cruel blow for Akira Nishino’s team, who had matched the Saudis throughout the preceding 78 minutes in front of a sell-out crowd as both teams battled to keep their hopes of both the title and a trip to the Olympic Games alive.

Drulovic’s team slipped to a defeat against Maciej Skorza’s side in a friendly in November and the Serbian coach is hoping for a better result at Rajamangala Stadium as he looks to keep Uzbekistan’s dreams of defending the title and earning a berth at the Tokyo Olympic Games alive.

The Koreans won the gold medal at the Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018 – with Kim at the helm – and have also qualified for every edition of the Olympic Games since 1988 when Seoul hosted the event as the country continues to amass a remarkable record at this level.

And while victory over Jordan would see them move one step closer to a place at Tokyo 2020 and a first-ever AFC U23 Championship title, the veteran coach stressed his country’s previous performances would count for nothing once the two teams are out on the pitch.

Having survived a tough group campaign, the teams will be aiming to move one step closer to realising their dream of lifting the trophy and sealing berths in the Olympics.

Join the-AFC.com as we take a look at a key player from each team ahead of this weekend's quarter-finals.

Long-range screamers, stunning free-kicks and superb team moves, the AFC U23 Championship Thailand 2020 group stage saw goals from all angles and distances to delight lovers of Asian football across the Continent.

The poll will end at 12:00 (UTC 7:00) on Monday.