South Korea’s men’s national football team, under the guidance of coach Hong Myung-bo, achieved a 2-0 victory over Bolivia in a friendly match held at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium on the 14th. The game was marked by tactical adjustments and key moments that highlighted the team’s resilience.
The first half proved challenging for South Korea as Bolivia employed a tight defensive strategy, focusing on narrowing the attack-midfield-defense lines. This approach limited the Korean team’s opportunities, forcing them to rely on set pieces and individual brilliance. However, the second half brought a shift in momentum, with Son Heung-min leading the charge.
In the 11th minute of the second half, captain Son Heung-min, playing for LAFC, broke the deadlock with a stunning free-kick goal. From the left outside the penalty box, he curled the ball into the net, showcasing his technical skill. This goal was not only his seventh free-kick goal of the year but also his 54th international goal, further solidifying his status as one of the team’s most reliable players.
Despite this breakthrough, South Korea faced continued challenges. In the 13th minute, Hwang Hee-chan, representing Wolverhampton, had a chance after a clever one-two pass with Kim Jin-kyu from Jeonbuk. However, the goalkeeper made a crucial save at the near post. Later, in the 25th minute, Bolivia’s Nava took a mid-range shot following an intercepted pass, but it was stopped by Kim Seung-gyu from Tokyo with fingertips.
The second goal came in the 43rd minute of the second half, just before the final whistle. Cho Gue-sung, who had been substituted into the game, scored a spectacular goal. After receiving a cross that deflected off a defender, he managed to fire the ball past the goalkeeper despite falling during the shot. This goal was particularly significant as it marked Cho Gue-sung’s return to the national team after a long absence due to injury. It was his first goal with the Taegeuk Mark in 1 year and 8 months.
Throughout the match, South Korea created several threatening attacks from set pieces, but their open-play chances were often blocked. In the 11th minute, Son Heung-min delivered a corner kick from the left, which Lee Jae-sung from Mainz headed powerfully. However, the opponent’s goalkeeper made a ‘super save’ to deny the goal. In the 25th minute, Son Heung-min again took a corner kick, passing to Lee Kang-in from Paris Saint-Germain, who unleashed a powerful mid-range shot. Unfortunately, it was straight at the goalkeeper. Two minutes later, Bolivia’s Monteiro exploited a defensive error, taking a shot that was saved by Kim Seung-gyu.
In the latter stages of the first half, Bolivia gained control of the attacking momentum. Taking advantage of South Korea’s disorganized formation, they used quick short passes to advance near the penalty box and recorded several shots. Bolivia had four first-half shots, three of which were on target, while South Korea managed only two on-target shots out of five.
The starting lineup for South Korea featured captain Son Heung-min as the lone striker, supported by Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Jae-sung, and Lee Kang-in. Due to injuries to key players such as Hwang In-beom and Baek Seung-ho, the midfield was weakened. Coach Hong opted for a back-four defense instead of the usual three-back system. Kim Min-jae and Kim Tae-hyun anchored the central defense, while Kim Moon-hwan and Lee Myung-jae handled the wing-back positions. Kim Seung-gyu, from Tokyo, was the goalkeeper.
This match against Bolivia was the first of two A internationals for the Korean team this year, held approximately seven months before the FIFA North and Central America World Cup. The team will face Ghana at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 18th.
The results of the November A matches will directly impact the FIFA rankings, which will influence the World Cup group stage draw pot assignments scheduled for the 5th of next month. Currently ranked 22nd, South Korea aims to secure ‘Pot 2’ to avoid stronger teams in the group stage by winning both matches. Bolivia, ranked 54 spots lower than South Korea, is considered a dark horse in South America after defeating Brazil 1-0 in the final match of the North and Central America World Cup regional qualifiers and advancing to the intercontinental playoffs.