"Lee Dong-gyeong's beautiful shot" stuns Czech Republic... 'Even Mexico was surprised' by K League MVP's phantom free kick

*This content was translated by AI.

Local media from Czech Republic, Korea's first opponent in the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup group stage, focused on Lee Dong-gyeong (29, Ulsan HD)'s free-kick winner.

The South Korean national football team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, defeated El Salvador 1-0 in a friendly match held on the 4th (Korean time) at South Field of Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. In the 12th minute of the second half, Lee Dong-gyeong scored a sharp left-footed free kick near the penalty box, becoming the match-winner.

With this victory, South Korea concluded its two pre-World Cup friendly matches with back-to-back wins. Earlier, on the 31st of last month, South Korea also secured a decisive 5-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago at the same venue.

The significance of this two-game winning streak is substantial. South Korea successfully reversed the slump following two consecutive losses to Côte d'Ivoire and Austria in March and April. At the same time, it sent a green light for adapting to the local conditions in North America where the World Cup will be held.

South Korea was drawn into Group A of the 2026 North American World Cup alongside host nation Mexico, Czech Republic, and South Africa. The group stage matches against Czech Republic (first match) and Mexico (second match) will both be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, at an altitude exceeding 1,500 meters. To prepare for this, coach Hong Myung-bo established a training camp in Salt Lake City, USA, at an altitude of around 1,400 meters starting from the 18th of last month to adapt to high-altitude conditions. With victories in both friendly matches, the team heads to the World Cup finals with valuable experience.

Among them, local media from Czech Republic, South Korea's first group stage opponent, also focused on South Korea's victory over El Salvador. In particular, they highly praised Lee Dong-gyeong, the match-winner. Czech sports media iSport.cz reported on the day: "South Korea managed to overcome El Salvador in a tough friendly match." It further highlighted Lee Dong-gyeong's winning goal, stating, "A beautiful shot came from a free-kick situation, and the fate of the match was decided by a single goal."

iSport.cz also noted South Korea's high possession and superior shot count. According to football statistics platform FootMob, South Korea recorded 72% ball possession and 15 total shots in the match against El Salvador, with 7 on target. In contrast, El Salvador managed only 3 total shots and 0 on target.

Lee Dong-gyeong, a key asset for Ulsan, successfully secured a spot on the North American World Cup roster after overcoming fierce competition. Although South Korea's second line is filled with formidable talents, Lee Dong-gyeong earned coach Hong Myung-bo's selection by showcasing consistent performances on the K League stage. Lee was named the K League Most Valuable Player (MVP) last season and has recorded 5 goals and 3 assists in 14 matches this season.

In this match against El Salvador, he wore the national team jersey and scored a free-kick winner, once again proving his value.

Mexican media Record also focused on Lee Dong-gyeong's strike. The outlet stated, "Lee Dong-gyeong scored the only goal of the match against El Salvador with a precise free kick," confirming that he is "an important piece in South Korea's tactics." It further analyzed, "South Korea's organizational strength, wing speed, and ability to create dangerous set-piece situations could make a difference in the highly competitive Group A."

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*This content was translated by AI.