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| AFP Yonhap News |
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| APYonhap News |
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| photo courtesy of the Korea Football Association |
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South Korea failed to advance to the quarterfinals for the third consecutive U-20 World Cup tournament, failing to cross the world's high wall.
The U-20 national team, led by head coach Lee Chang-won, lost 1-2 to Morocco in the round of 16 at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup at Estadio El Teniente in Lancône, Chile, at 8 a.m. on the 10th (Korea time). South Korea, which allowed Shin Min-ha (Gangwon) to lead in the eighth minute of the first half, dedicated an additional goal to Yasir Javiri (Pamalikan) in the 13th minute of the second half. In the 6th minute of extra time in the second half, Kim Tae-won (Portimonens) scored a comeback goal with a penalty kick, but there was not enough time to catch up.
It was a foregone conclusion. South Korea, which failed to field the best players in the same age group, such as Yang Min-hyuk (Portsmouth) and Yoon Do-young (Excelcior), continued to show sluggish performance from the group stage. South Korea, which played poorly in Group B matches against Ukraine (1-2 loss) and Paraguay (0-0 draw), beat the weakest Panama 2-1 in the third round of the group and barely advanced to the round of 16 as a wild card for the third place in the group. Morocco, on the other hand, advanced to the round of 16 as No. 1 in the group, beating Spain and Brazil in Group C, which was called 'Death Joe'. The evaluation of the two teams was clearly divided, and the difference in skills could not be hidden even in the actual game. He made a lot of mistakes throughout the 90 minutes, and the coach's tactical perfection was also poor. In terms of the game, the defeat was a fair result.
South Korea, which was the runner-up at the 2019 Poland tournament and advanced to the semifinals of the 2023 Argentina tournament, failed to advance to the quarterfinals for the third consecutive tournament. Australia and Saudi Arabia were eliminated from the group stage, and South Korea and Japan lost in the round of 16, leaving all Asian teams out ahead of the quarterfinals. Japan lost to France 0-1 on the 9th. Mexico-Argentina, Spain-Colombia, U.S.-Morocco, Norway-France will each clash in the quarterfinals.
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| photo courtesy of the Korea Football Association |
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| photo courtesy of the Korea Football Association |
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Head coach Lee Chang-won activated two-top Kim Tae-won (Portimonens) and Kim Myung-joon (Henk). Choi Byung-wook (Jeju), Jung Ma-ho (Chungnam Asan), Son Seung-min (Daegu), and Kim Hyun-min (Busan) lined up in the midfield, while Choi Seung-gu (Incheon), Ham Sun-woo (Hwaseong), Shin Min-ha (Gangwon), and Bae Hyun-seo (Seoul) set up a four-back. Hong Sung-min (Pohang) defended the goal. Compared to the final group match (2-1 win) against Panama, which laid the groundwork for advancing to the round of 16, he replaced only one goalkeeper position. In place of Park Sang-young (Daegu), Hong Sung-min stood in front of the goal again.
Morocco, led by Mohamed Ouabi, has launched Yasir Zabiri (Pamalikan), Gagime Yasin (?蝸?k), and Otman Maamma (Watford) three-top. Yasin Khalifi (Sporting Charlaoua), Saad El Haddad (Venezia), and Naim Villar (Forzia) played midfielders, while Ali Mamar (Anderlecht), Ismael Bauf (Kambur), Fuad Zahuani (Winnion Tuanga) and Smile Bakty (Sturm Graz) formed the four backs. Janis Ben-Chausch (AS Monaco) wore goalkeeper gloves. Xaviri, who scored the winning goal in consecutive matches against Spain and Brazil in the group stage, is a key figure.
South Korea, which aims to advance to the quarterfinals for the third consecutive tournament, faced a crisis 45 seconds after the start of the game. Son Seung-min lost the ball while dribbling through the defense, and Otman Maamma aimed for the goal with his right foot in a no-mark situation on the right side of the goal area. Hong Sung-min, the gatekeeper, narrowed the angle and ran out and saved it with his legs.
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| photo courtesy of the Korea Football Association |
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| AFP Yonhap News |
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Immediately, Lee Chang-won-ho launched a counterattack. Choi Seung-gu's long pass from the box to near the half-line was accurately delivered to Kim Tae-won. Kim Tae-won, who caught the ball, quickly penetrated into the penalty area and tried to shoot with his right foot to avoid the goalkeeper running out, but the opponent's defender blew himself away and cleared it. Kim Tae-won connected the ball that flowed out again with a rebound shot, but this time, it went out of the goal and swallowed the disappointment.
Eight minutes later, another crisis came after the opportunity. Morocco's counterattack situation, Maamba, who caught the ball on the right side of the Korean side, beat Ham Sun-woo in the penalty area and attempted a cutback with his right foot. The ball passed past South Korean defenders and passed to Yasin on the other side, who shot his left foot without hesitation. Son Seung-min, who was actively pressing, blocked the shot with his body, but the ball that bounced high headed in front of Jabiri in front of the goal area. Jabiri, who was in a no-mark situation momentarily, was recorded as an unfortunate own goal when his left-footed bicycle kick deflected off Shin Min-ha's body.
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| AFP Yonhap News |
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| APYonhap News |
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After losing points, South Korea could not easily find an opponent's gap. In the 20th minute, Jung Ma-ho's free kick went over the net. In the 25th minute, Shin Min-ha's header missed to the right of the net in a corner. There seemed to be a ray of hope at the end of the frustrating first half. Bae Hyun-seo attempted a left-footed cutback after breaking down the opponent's side defense with a pass by Lee Dae-il. Choi Byung-wook, who was running toward the ball, collided with Yasin and fell to the ground. Jeong Ma-ho connected the ball back with a right foot shot, but it came up high.
Coach Lee Chang-won asked the umpires for soccer video assistance (FVS). However, the referee declared no foul after an on-field review. The first half ended with South Korea trailing 0-1.
South Korea had a chance to equalize in the eighth minute of the second half. Son Seung-min connected the pass that Choi Byung-wook stabbed from the right outside the opponent's penalty box to the center point with a right non-stop shot, but it deflected off the defender's leg and slightly left the crossbar. In the immediate corner kick situation, Ham Sun-woo's header missed to the left of the goal.
Like the scene of the first goal in the first half, he immediately faced a crisis after the opportunity. The ball that Shin Min-ha clumsily cleared from the defense side delivered to the opponent. Maamma quickly broke through the left side of Korea and then stabbed a cross toward the gate, and Zabiri scored with an accurate header.
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| APYonhap News |
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Coach Lee Chang-won tried to make changes to the side in the 16th minute of the second half by excluding Kim Hyun-min and Choi Byung-wook and putting Baek Ga-on Lee Kun-hee in. South Korea saw a comeback goal in the 17th and 18th minutes of the second half with a series of headers from Kim Tae-won and Shin Min-ha, but it was not easy. In the 36th minute of the second half, South Korea took out Kim Myung-joon and Jung Ma-ho, and put in Kim Hyun-oh and Sung-shin to play the final game. However, Korea's simple attack pattern and unpromised play were not enough to threaten Morocco's goal. The cacophony lasted all 90 minutes. Individual players also showed a big difference from Morocco. The ordinary pass was cut short. There was no organizational power or agile strategy to cover the difference in skills.
South Korea briefly shone at the end of the game. In the 44th minute, Kim Hyun-oh, a substitute, connected Lee Kun-hee's right cross with a right non-stop shot from the gate, but was blocked by the opponent's goalkeeper. In the 45th minute, Kim Tae-won's shot hit the opposing defender's body and flowed backward. Choi Seung-gu attempted to shoot at the bottom of the left side of the goal, but slightly off the post.
A comeback goal was scored in a driving situation. The South Korean coaches requested a second FVS four minutes into the second half, claiming a handball foul by Bakhti in front of the Moroccan goal. The referee declared a penalty after an on-field review, acknowledging a handball foul. Kim Tae-won scored as a kicker. South Korea expected extra time in extra time, but the referee declared the end of the game. But there was not enough time to chase. The game ended in a 1-2 defeat for South Korea.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
