The Australian left-back was caught out of position when he drifted near-post allowing Japan substitute Tadanari Lee to lash the winner home unmarked on 109 minutes from Yuto Nagatamo's cross.

Carney had enjoyed a decent match prior to the misjudgement but it was little consolation for the Blackpool man who told The Sunday Telegraph he was inconsolable after the defeat.

"I was gutted, it felt sickening in the end," Carney said. "To get there and play as well as we did and lose was heartbreaking. We had our chances, we were constantly creating, but that's football."

Carney added: "I just got dragged into thinking it was going near post.

"If I didn't go near post he probably would've went there because there was so much room. It was one of those decisions you had to make.

"But he took it well. It was unfortunate, it was a mistake on my part, but I'm big enough and old enough to take it.

"But if you look at the game I put quite a few crosses into the box and I probably played better in the final than in the semi-final."

On the plus side, 27-year-old Carney has returned to his English Premier League club Blackpool in favour with boss Ian Holloway who watched plenty of the Asian Cup.

Carney played his second consecutive 90 minutes in Saturday's 5-3 loss to Everton after a full game in midweek against West Ham.

"Holloway said he thought I was the best player on the park for a few of the [Asian Cup] games," Carney said.

"But the Asian Cup was good in good that sense. I got six games under my belt and I felt I was getting better and better and I've got confidence from it - I feel fit and sharp.

"I just need to keep playing games. When I'm fully fit and playing, the confidence comes, so hopefully I can take that into the rest of the season."