Make it or military: Incredible reason star couldn't watch this penalty

Tottenham Hostpur star Son Heung-Min is currently in Indonesia playing to save his footballing career.

The Premier League star is facing an extended period of mandatory military service if South Korea fail to do anything but win the Asian Games.

That’s why the 26-year-old couldn’t even watch as his teammate stepped up to convert a penalty in extra-time, which would ultimately send his nation through to the semi-finals.

One step closer to the ultimate goal.

Son is currently skipping Premier League action with Spurs to play at the Asian Games in the hope to earn himself an automatic exemption.

In South Korea, a military service for all able-bodied males is mandatory – except if you win a gold medal at the Asian Games or claim an Olympic podium finish.

So the South Korean captain is literally playing to avoid missing two-years of professional football.

“I have already said I feel very sorry (to miss Tottenham matches) but this tournament for me is very important because of my country,” he said.

“I am enjoying playing for Spurs, enjoying playing for my country. Nothing is different. I play my best every time I take the field.”

The Tottenham forward has seen his value rise significantly off the back of an impressive season with Spurs, currently estimated at a whopping $114 million on the transfer market.

Fans of the North London club will be hoping his nation prevails victorious so they don’t lose this talented footballer.

Son helped South Korea reach the Asian Games semi-finals as the defending champions beat Uzbekistan 4-3 in an extra-time cliffhanger on Monday.

The World Cup star, produced a pair of smart assists for hat-trick hero Hwang Ui-jo before a late Hwang Hee-chan penalty sent the Koreans through.

While Spurs prepared to visit Manchester United in the Premier League some 7,000 miles away, Son was the driving force as the Koreans advanced to face Vietnam in the last four.

The Korea captain revealed that he was supposed to take the penalty kick but that substitute Hwang Hee-chan had demanded to take it — and Son couldn’t bear to watch.

“Hee-chan said he wanted it and was confident,” he told reporters. “I told him to take the kick. I didn’t see where he put the penalty but I’m proud of him.”

The 26-year-old Son provided a superb assist after just five minutes in Bekasi, near Jakarta.

It was the tournament’s top scorer Hwang Ui-jo who hit the opener, tucking away his sixth goal of the Games after a brilliant run from Son.

But Jaloliddin Masharipov pounced on South Korea’s defensive hesitation to equalise with a sharp finish after 17 minutes.

Japan-based Hwang smashed in his seventh of the competition with a dipping shot from long distance to restore his side’s advantage 10 minutes before the break.

However, Korean hopes of advancing to the semi-finals almost evaporated in the space of two calamitous second-half minutes.

Ikromjon Alibaev fired Uzbekistan level in the 53rd minute after finding himself unmarked at the back post.

Moments later, the midfielder tried his luck from range and got a huge slice of luck as the ball took a wicked deflection off Hwang Hyun-soo and trickled into the net.

Hwang Ui-jo — like Son hoping for exemption from military service — struck back, latching on to a Son through-ball to complete his hat-trick with aplomb after 75 minutes.

Son then let fly with a ferocious left-foot shot that whistled past the post as the Koreans went in search of a winner in normal time.

Already booked, Alibaev was sent off for a shove early in the first period of extra time before hat-trick man Hwang missed a sitter from point-blank range.

Both teams looked out on their feet after going toe-to-toe in sapping humidity but as a penalty shootout loomed, Hwang Hee-chan triggered ecstatic scenes from the Koreans as he stepped up to blast home from the spot after a foul on Hwang Ui-jo.

“When we got to extra time, I told Son Heung-min we needed to end the match before it went to penalties,” said Hwang. “I’m happy that we did.”

Vietnam edged Syria 1-0 thanks to bleach-blond striker Van Toan Nguyen’s extra time tap-in.

Son Heung-min, who is in Indonesia chasing a gold medal that would spare him a career-threatening spell of military service, produced a pair of smart assists for hat-trick hero Hwang Ui-jo

with AFP.