Draw 2-2 in Friendly Match Against Colombia
Son Heung-min Scores 37th International Goal, Ranks 3rd All-Time
Son Heung-min, captain of the South Korea national football team, continued to demonstrate his presence under coach J?rgen Klinsmann's leadership.
On the 24th, at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium, Son Heung-min was responsible for both goals in the friendly match against Colombia. Son scored consecutive goals with a curling left-footed shot in the 10th minute of the first half and a right-footed free kick during first-half stoppage time. The team ended the first half leading 2-0 thanks to Son's back-to-back goals, but conceded two goals within five minutes after the start of the second half due to a breakdown in the left defense.
Coach Klinsmann, who made his debut in this match, finished his first game with a disappointing 2-2 draw. Klinsmann started with Son Heung-min along with Cho Gue-sung (Jeonbuk), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), and Jung Woo-young (Freiburg), aiming for a debut victory, but the defense showed some shortcomings.
South Korea national football team captain Son Heung-min is cheering after scoring a goal in the friendly match between South Korea and Colombia held on the afternoon of the 24th at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium. Photo by Yonhap News
The national team dominated the game early on with strong high pressing. Following Klinsmann's intention to play attacking football, the team pushed the defensive line high, and the forwards made active penetrating runs, repeatedly forcing mistakes from the opposing defense. Eventually, the first goal came early due to an opponent's error.
Around the 10th minute of the first half, Colombian defender Johan Mojica attempted to clear the ball, but it deflected off Lee Jae-sung's foot and fell in front of Son Heung-min. At that moment, Colombian goalkeeper Camilo Vargas had left the goal to handle the ball and had not yet returned. Vargas rushed back to the goal, but Son calmly scored his first goal with a curling left-footed shot.
Riding the momentum, the team maintained dominance throughout the first half, led by captain Son Heung-min. In the 27th minute, Son took a free kick from the left side of the penalty area aiming directly at the goal, but the ball narrowly missed the left post.
The team earned another crucial free kick opportunity in the 38th minute. Son Heung-min, receiving a clever penetrating pass from Hwang In-beom, was tripped by Colombian defender Carlos Cuesta just outside the penalty area. The referee initially awarded a penalty kick but corrected it to a free kick after video review.
Earlier, around the 24th minute, Lee Gi-je, who was substituted in for Kim Jin-su due to pain in the waist area, took the free kick. The ball sharply targeted the left side of the opponent's goal, but goalkeeper Vargas made a save, preventing a goal.
However, during first-half stoppage time, Son Heung-min scored a free kick goal, extending the lead to 2-0.
The first half was a one-sided advantage for the national team. They led Colombia in possession 60 to 40 percent and outshot them 5 to 2. Of the three shots on target by the national team, two resulted in goals, while Colombia failed to register a single shot on target. Colombia did not have any proper attacking chances. Colombia committed 14 fouls in the first half, showing they were being dominated by the South Korean team, which committed only four fouls.
Jurgen Klinsmann, head coach of the South Korea national football team, is encouraging captain Son Heung-min, who scored two goals, after the friendly match between South Korea and Colombia held on the afternoon of the 24th at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium. Photo by Yonhap News
The second half saw the opposite trend. Colombia launched an aggressive offense and equalized within five minutes of the second half. In the 68th minute, Colombia's Rafael Santos Borr? connected a corner kick with a sharp header, but the ball hit the upper goalpost, narrowly missing a goal.
Both teams engaged in intense exchanges afterward but failed to score additional goals, ending the match in a draw.
With two more goals in this A-match, Son Heung-min recorded his 37th international goal, surpassing Park Yi-cheon (36 goals) to become the third highest all-time top scorer among South Korean male players in A-matches. The all-time top scorer for the South Korean national team is former national coach Cha Bum-kun with 58 goals (55 goals according to FIFA), followed by Hwang Sun-hong, current U-23 national team coach, with 50 goals.
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