'Shin Min-ha and Kim Myeong-jun score consecutive goals' as Lee Min-seong's team crushes Saudi Arabia 2-0... Secures second consecutive victory and tops the group to face Vietnam in the quarterfinals [Nagoya On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Min-seong's team, aiming for gold at the 2026 Aichi·Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games, advanced through the group stage with two consecutive victories.

The U23 Asian Games football national team led by head coach Lee Min-seong defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0 in their second Group D match of the tournament at the Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, on the 22nd.

Earlier, South Korea had crushed Qatar 4-1 in the first group stage match, accumulating six points (two wins) and finishing atop the group ahead of Saudi Arabia (three points, one win and one loss).

Unlike other groups (A to C), which each consist of four teams, Group D features only three teams. After playing two group stage matches each, South Korea in first place and Saudi Arabia in second secured their spots in the quarterfinals.

Lee Min-seong's team will face Vietnam, who finished second in Group C during the group stage, in the quarterfinals. The match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on the 25th at the same venue. South Korean men's football will challenge for a fourth consecutive Asian Games gold medal since the 2014 Incheon tournament.

On this day, South Korea deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation with Kim Myeong-jun (KRC Genk) leading the front line, supported by Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City), Lee Hyun-ju (FC Arouca), and Yang Min-hyeok (KVC Westerlo) in the second line.

Captain Lee Gi-hyuk partnered with Lee Seung-won (both from Gangwon FC) in midfield. Bae Hyeon-seo (Gyeongnam FC), Kim Ji-soo (Brentford), Shin Min-ha (Gangwon), and Choi Seok-hyun (Ulsan HD) formed the defensive line, while Kim Jun-hong (Suwon Samsung) guarded the goal.

The first half saw a tight balance. South Korea controlled the initiative but struggled to create decisive chances. Instead, Saudi Arabia threatened the Korean goal in the 14th minute with headers following a cross from the wing. Yang Min-hyeok's shot in the 22nd minute was Lee Min-seong's team's first shot of the day.

South Korea then built momentum but failed to change the atmosphere. Eom Ji-sung's cutback from the left side drifted to the opposite flank, and Lee Seung-won's long-range header was blocked by a defender near the goal. Shots from Bae Hyeon-seo and Lee Hyun-ju were saved by the goalkeeper, while Shin Min-ha's header narrowly missed the post.

South Korea continued its offensive push in the early stages of the second half. However, Eom Ji-sung's shot deflected off a defender and hit the side netting, while another header following a cross struck the post after hitting a defender's foot. Kim Ji-soo's backheader at the goal was also saved by the goalkeeper, adding to the frustration.

The tight balance finally broke in the 22nd minute of the second half. Shin Min-ha connected with Eom Ji-sung's right-footed free kick with a header, shaking the Saudi Arabian net. With momentum on their side, South Korea extended the lead just two minutes later. Kim Myeong-jun headed in a cross delivered by Bae Hyeon-seo from the left wing. Kim Myeong-jun scored consecutive goals for the second match in a row, following his goal against Qatar.

Having secured the advantage, South Korea made substitutions, bringing on Park Seung-soo (Newcastle United), Lee Young-jun (Grasshopper), and Hwang Do-yoon (FC Seoul) to replace Eom Ji-sung, Kim Myeong-jun, and Kim Ji-soo. Saudi Arabia launched a late counterattack in an attempt to avoid defeat, but the South Korean defense maintained its focus.

Ultimately, the match ended with a 2-0 victory for Lee Min-seong's team as the final whistle blew.

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*This content was translated by AI.