3 June 1964 - The Third Time's The Charm

On 3 June 1964, hosts Israel won the AFC Asian Cup with a 1-2 win over two-time defending champions South Korea.

South Korea won the first two Asian Cups in 1956 and 1960, with Israel finishing as runners-up both times. But by the time the two teams met in 1964, the Koreans were already out of contention after a loss to India in their opening match--their first loss in all three tournaments. India went on to finish with four points on 2 June, putting them level with Israel who had a game in hand and needed only a draw against South Korea to secure the title.

Playing at Ramat Gan Stadium near Tel Aviv, Israel defender Moshe Leon put the hosts up 1-0 in the 20th minute, then Gideon Tish doubled their lead eighteen minutes later. Huh Yoon-Jung scored for South Korea in the 79th minute, but they were unable to find another goal.

The win gave Israel a total of six points and their first Asian Cup title. It would also be their last, as they finished third in 1968, then withdrew from the competition in 1972 before being leaving the confederation in 1974.

21 October 1960 - A Little Asian Cup Déjà Vu

On 21 October 1960, South Korea won their second consecutive Asian Cup, beating China 1-0.

It was the second edition of the tournament, with South Korea returning as defending champions after winning it in 1956. They were joined in 1960 by China, Vietnam, and Israel, the 1956 runners-up. Each team played the other team once, with the standings decided by points. Wins were worth two points and draws one.

South Korea opened the tournament with a powerful statement of intent by beating Vietnam 5-1, followed by a 3-0 win over Israel. They entered their last match in the top spot, two points clear of Israel and China (Vietnam was at the bottom). Israel, like South Korea, had only one match left, but China had two, including their game against South Korea. So while the Koreans needed only a draw to guarantee that they would finish over Israel, they needed a win to ensure a higher finish than China.

And they got it, narrowly. Playing before their own supporters at the Hyochang Stadium in Seoul, forward Moon Jung-Sik scored the day's only goal in the 54th minute. Israel again finished as runners-up, beating China 1-0 two days later in the final match of the tournament.