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Korea advances to U-20 World Cup quarterfinals

Posted June. 03, 2023 08:29,   

Updated June. 03, 2023 08:29

한국어

Korea has advanced to the quarterfinals in two consecutive FIFA U-20 World Cup tournaments.

The U-20 national soccer team secured its place in the quarterfinals with a 3-2 victory over Ecuador in the round of 16 match held at Argentina's Santiago del Estero Stadium on Friday. This achievement marks Korea's second consecutive quarterfinal appearance, building upon their runner-up finish in the previous tournament held in 2019. Notably, Korea faced Ecuador once again in the semifinals of the 2019 competition and emerged victorious with a 1-0 scoreline, propelling them to the final.

Korea has reached the quarterfinals for the sixth time in the U-20 World Cup. Out of the four Asian countries participating in the tournament, Korea is the only team to advance to this stage. Japan and Iraq were eliminated in the group stage, while Uzbekistan experienced a 0-1 loss to Israel in the round of 16.

In the upcoming match at 2:30 a.m. on Monday, Korea will face Nigeria to secure a spot in the semifinals. Notably, Nigeria displayed its strength by defeating Argentina 2-0 in the round of 16, a significant feat considering Argentina's status as the host country and their remarkable six wins in the tournament. Korea and Nigeria have crossed paths twice in the U-20 World Cup, in 2005 and 2013, resulting in one win and one loss for each team.

During the match against Ecuador, Korea showcased their attacking prowess by commanding a 2-0 lead. Lee Yeong-jun scored a goal in the 11th minute, swiftly followed by Bae Jun-ho finding the back of the net in the 19th minute. However, Ecuador managed to narrow the gap by converting a penalty kick in the 36th minute, bringing the score to 2-1. Korea continued its offensive dominance and extended their lead to 3-1 early in the second half, courtesy of defender Choi Seok-hyun's impressive header in the third minute. Despite Ecuador scoring another goal in the 39th minute of the second half, no further goals were conceded, and the match concluded with the scoreline unchanged. Before the tournament, Bae Jun-ho, recognized by FIFA as a “player to watch” for the Korean national team, made a significant contribution by assisting Lee Young-joon's opening goal, further showcasing his talent with one goal and one assist.

In the match against Ecuador, Captain Lee Seung-won not only scored Korea's third goal but also provided an assist to Choi Seok-hyun, contributing to his impressive tally of offensive points in the tournament, which reached four (one goal, three assists). His corner kick was met by Choi Seok-hyun, who headed the ball into the net, showcasing their effective teamwork. In the opening group stage match against France, Lee led the team to a 2-1 victory with one goal and one assist. Similarly, in the second group stage match against Honduras, which ended in a 2-2 draw, Lee contributed with an assist from a corner kick, helping Korea avoid a loss. Out of the seven goals scored by Korea in the tournament's four matches, four of them were attributed to the exceptional performance of Lee.

“I emphasized to the players that today could potentially be our last day in the tournament, as a loss would mean no further matches. I'm pleased to say that the players responded exceptionally well to this mentality,” said Kim Eun-joong, the coach of the U-20 national soccer team. “Given that the tournament took place in South America, Ecuador's players possessed a home-field advantage and approached the matches with heightened confidence. Our players displayed resilience and tenacity despite the challenging circumstances, refusing to let their focus waver.”


hun@donga.com