Kwon Chang-hoon and Moon Chang-jin scored in the final six minutes of the game at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium to guarantee South Korea’s qualification for an Asian record eighth consecutive Olympic tournament.

Ryu Seung-woo had put South Korea into the lead three minutes into the second-half but Ahmed Alaa’s goal 11 minutes from the end looked set to take the game into extra-time.

Kwon scored with a minute left of normal time before Moon sealed the victory to send South Korea through to the final on Saturday (January 30).

"The first goal of the tournament was to get a ticket to Brazil and our team has accomplished the first goal, but the final goal is to win the Championship so in that context it will be a complicated game," said Korea's coach Shin Tae-yong.

"I had hoped our final game would be against Japan and the fans in Japan and Korea are expecting this match.

"I think both countries can represent the continent and the East Asian Football Federation and we will play in the manner of fair play.

"But I just want to enjoy this moment and I will think about this game tomorrow."

Japan also left it late in the day’s earlier semi-final as Riki Harakawa scored a winner three minutes into injury-time at the end of the match at the  Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium to snatch a 2-1 win over Iraq and secure Olympic qualification.

Yuya Kubo had given Japan a 26th minute lead only for Saad Natiq to head home an equaliser for Iraq two minutes before half-time.

With extra-time looming, Harakawa rifled home from the edge of the penalty area as Japan ended a two-game losing streak against Iraq.

"The game was a qualifier for Rio as well as the final, so I am relived we have won," said Japan's coach Makoto Teguramori.

"I was really not willing for extra-time.

"We managed to score a goal, but then we conceded a goal for Iraq.

"But in the second half Iraq became offensive so we had to really show restraint and I thought it would be an endurance game.

"In the second half we seemed to run out of gas as there was a moment Iraq had control of the game, but this was a good opportunity for the players to endure this.

"This was a close match and this is a good example for the next stage."

Iraq can still qualify for the Olympics via the third place play-off against Qatar, scheduled to take place on Friday (January 29).