"I came late but they did everything for me." Lee Young-jun's multi-goal performance and Kim Ji-soo's goal involvement... Korean football crushes Vietnam 4-0, reaching just two wins short of a four-peat [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

Korean football advanced to the semifinals, continuing its bid for the first-ever four consecutive gold medals in Asian Games history.

The South Korean U-23 national team, led by coach Lee Min-seong, defeated Vietnam 4-0 in the men's football quarterfinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held at Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, on the 25th.

On this day, Lee Young-jun (Grasshopper) scored two goals, while Kim Ji-soo (Brentford) also contributed to the scoring. Notably, Lee Young-jun was instrumental not only with his own two goals but also in creating Kim Ji-soo's goal.

South Korea has won three consecutive gold medals since the 2014 Incheon Games, followed by the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2023 Hangzhou (held in 2022) tournaments.

This tournament marks the first attempt at four consecutive titles in history.

With today's victory, South Korea will face the winner of the China-Thailand quarterfinal match in the semifinals to determine who advances to the final. The China-Thailand quarterfinal is scheduled for the 26th.

South Korea deployed Lee Young-jun as the leading striker on this day. Due to his club schedule, Lee Young-jun joined the national team late from Switzerland on the 21st and was substituted into the second group stage match against Saudi Arabia in the second half, playing for about 15 minutes to warm up.

In the previous two group stage matches, Kim Myeong-jun (KRC Genk) started as the forward. However, in this knockout tournament's first match where a single loss means elimination, Lee Young-jun earned his first starting opportunity.

The second line consisted of Yang Min-hyuk (Westerlo), Lee Hyun-ju (Arouca), and Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City). Captain Lee Gi-hyeok (Kangwon) and Kang Sang-yoon (Jeonbuk) formed the midfield, while Kim Ji-soo, Choi Seok-hyun (Ulsan), Shin Min-ha (Kangwon), and Bae Hyun-seo (Gyeongnam) lined up as a back four. Goalkeeper Kim Jun-hong (Suwon) guarded the net.

Coach Lee Min-seong's decision proved correct.

South Korea actively utilized Lee Young-jun's height from the early stages of the match, repeatedly launching attacks by crossing the ball from the flanks to exploit the 192cm tall striker's aerial dominance.

The effect was immediate. In the 15th minute of the first half, Lee Young-jun connected with a cross from the right flank using a precise header, sending the ball directly into Vietnam's net. This valuable opening goal came in Lee Young-jun's first start of the tournament.

South Korea continued to press for additional goals, quickly advancing attacks centered around Bae Jun-ho, Yang Min-hyuk, and Lee Hyun-ju.

However, a tense moment occurred in the 34th minute of the first half. Vietnam launched a powerful long-range shot from outside the penalty area; the ball struck the goalpost and bounced out. A nearby Vietnamese player took another shot that hit the net.

For an instant, it seemed like the score was tied 1-1, but the assistant referee raised his flag. The goal was disallowed due to offside. This was a narrow escape from a potential conceding situation for South Korea. After regrouping, South Korea finished the first half leading 1-0.

In the early second half, Vietnam attempted a counterattack with rapid offensive plays. As South Korea briefly struggled, coach Lee Min-seong introduced Lee Seung-won to disrupt the flow.

In the 10th minute of the second half, during a free-kick situation, Lee Young-jun redirected a cross from Eom Ji-sung with his head, but the ball narrowly missed the goalpost.

South Korea continued seeking additional goals but swallowed their frustration as their final shots in front of the goal lacked precision. In the 24th minute of the second half, Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City) had a decisive scoring opportunity but was stopped by the opposing goalkeeper's save.

However, the second goal finally came in the 30th minute of the second half. Once again, Lee Young-jun's height served as the starting point.

During a corner kick, Lee Young-jun headed the ball down, and Shin Min-ha attempted a shot. The ball deflected off Vietnam's defense line toward Kim Ji-soo, who did not hesitate to push it into the net, making it 2-0.

With a two-goal lead, South Korea gained more composure. Then in the 36th minute of the second half, Lee Young-jun once again found the back of the net. Following his opening goal, he scored the third goal to complete his multi-goal performance.

Additionally, substitute Kim Myeong-jun scored a fourth goal, sealing the victory definitively.

South Korea held off Vietnam's counterattacks for the remaining time, securing a 4-0 victory and clinching their ticket to the semifinals. Just two matches remain until they can achieve four consecutive Asian Games titles.

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*This content was translated by AI.