Kim Eun-joong’s substitution at the second-half whistle proved to be the right one. Park Seung-ho scored a celestial header to give South Korea a valuable point.
Kim Eun-joong’s South Korea U-20 team drew 2-2 with Honduras in their second Group F match of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 at the Mendoza Stadium in Argentina at 6 a.m. ET on Saturday.
The Gambia leads Group F with two wins, while South Korea is second with one win and one draw (four points). However, depending on the outcome of the final match, they could drop to third place. The U-20 World Cup awards wild cards to the four best performing teams in the top three groups.
Kim Eun-joong deployed Lee Young-joon and Kang Sang-yoon up front for the match. Kang Sung-jin, Lee Seung-won, Bae Jun-ho, and Kim Yong-hak provided firepower in the back. The defense consisted of Bae Seo-joon, Kim Ji-soo, Choi Seok-hyun, and Park Chang-woo, with Kim Jun-hong in goal.
Korea pressed hard from the start. Honduras dug into the Korean flank, and it was time for a crisis. In the 22nd minute, Choi Seok-hyun’s foul was recognized by the video assistant referee (VAR) and a penalty kick was awarded. Kicker David Lewis rattled the net to give South Korea the lead.
However, David Lewis’ celebration was short-lived. In the 26th minute, he was shown a red card for hitting Bae Seo-Joon with his right hand. South Korea upped the tempo of their attack with Kim Yong-hak and Bae Jun-ho, and despite the chaotic atmosphere, they tried their best to break through the dense defense.
Kim Eun-joong took Bae off at the start of the second half and brought on Choi Ye-hoon. However, in the fifth minute of the second half, they were struck by an efficient counterattack from Honduras. Castillo’s accurate right-footed shot found the back of the net. 메이저놀이터
In the ninth minute of the second half, Park Seung-ho and Cho Young-kwang came on to take the reins. The substitutions turned the tide. In the 12th minute of the second half, Kim Yong-hak finished off a ball dropped by Lee Young-joon to keep the spark alive.
After the goal, Korea upped the tempo of their offense, increasing their possession in the box and looking for chances. In the 17th minute of the second half, Park Seung-ho rattled the net with a header from a corner set piece to bring the game back to even.
Rising from the 0-2 deficit, Korea pushed Honduras harder. Kang Sung-jin and Kim Yong-hak swayed from the flanks and pressured Honduras. Coach Kim brought on Hwang In-taek in the 35th minute to take the reins. They could have pulled a goal back in the long extra time, but Honduras didn’t allow them to find the back of the net easily and had to settle for a point.