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Korea Republic breeze past Iceland in 5-1 victory
15. Jan. 2022 22:00:35 1,755
Korea Republic have proved what their reserve team are capable of, as they kept on establishing the depth of squad in the buildup to their tenth consecutive world finals.
Cho Guesung, Kwon Changhoon, Paik Seungho, Kim Jingyu and Eom Jisung were on target as Paulo Bento’s charges defeated Iceland 5-1 in a friendly at Mardan Stadium in Antalya, Turkey on Saturday. The result meant a new record as well for Korea Republic, with the biggest margin of goals in a victory against a European side – previously it was the three-goal margin in a 4-1 win over Scotland in Busan in May 2002.
Another record was set in the afternoon with no fewer than four players, bar Kwon, scoring their first international goals in a single A match. It was later confirmed that Seol Kihyeon, Lee Chunsoo, Shim Jaewon and Ahn Hyoyeon also scored their first goals for Korea Republic against Laos in a qualifier for the Asian Cup in April 2000, but that was an exceptional case in which the Olympics side took part in the qualifying campaign on behalf of the senior national team. Therefore, it is safe to say that the goal fest against Iceland still stands as the most debut goals scored in an A match.
The national team will play another friendly with Moldova on Friday, before taking on Lebanon next week in their seventh match in the final round of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Ahead of their seventh and eighth matches in the final qualifying round against Lebanon and Syria, the national team have set up a training camp in Turkey with 27 players mostly from the K League. Stiff competition for their places in the squad gives the players extra motivation to survive until the qualifying campaign will have resumed.
Korea Republic dominated the game after opening exchanges, striking three times inside the first half-hour. Cho opened his international account with a clinical finish off a Kim Jingyu cross after 15 minutes.
Kwon then doubled his side’s advantage with his deadly left foot on 27 minutes, after collecting a long ball from midfield, having wasted the opportunity to score from the spot earlier in the afternoon.
Two minutes later, Paik put the result beyond doubt with an audacious effort from distance, curling the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net to open his account alongside Cho.
With the three-goal cushion in mind, Bento made a triple substitution during the interval bringing Hong Chul, Jung Seunghyeon and Lee Yeongjae on for Kim Jinsu, Kim Younggwon and Kwon Changhoon respectively. The men in red picked up where they had left off in the first half, but it was their opposition that struck back against the run of play to reduce the deficit through Sveinn Gudjohnsen ten minutes after the restart.
Korea Republic missed a couple of chances to extend their lead midway through the second half. Lee Yeongjae’s volley off a corner from the right ricocheted off the crossbar, before substitute Kim Gunhee saw his effort ruled out for offside.
However, they did restore their three-goal lead on 73 minutes. Debutant Kim Jingyu, who had already set up Cho’s opener earlier in the game, broke his duck amid a goalmouth scramble after Lee Donggyeong’s initial effort had caused havoc inside the area.
Bento reshuffled his side with all the players at his disposal, with Korea Republic leading 4-1 in the closing stage of the game. Another substitute and debutant Eom Jisung rounded off the comprehensive victory, with a header off Lee Yeongjae’s cross to score his first international goal. Both Kim Jingyu and Eom Jisung scored their first goals for Korea Republic upon winning their first caps.
International friendly
Korea Republic 5-1 Iceland
Scorers: Cho Guesung 15’, Kwon Changhoon 27’, Paik Seungho 29’, Eom Jisung 86’; Sveinn Gudjohnsen 55’
KOR: Jo Hyeonwoo; Kim Jinsu (Hong Chul 46’), Kim Younggwon (Jung Seunghyeon 46’), Park Jisu, Kim Taehwan (Kang Sangwoo 61’); Lee Donggyeong, Paik Seungho, Kim Jingyu; Song Minkyu (Eom Jisung 76’), Cho Guesung (Kim Gunhee 61’), Kwon Changhoon (Lee Yeongjae 46’)
Bento announces his squad for friendlies in January
Team Bento claim 4-0 victory over Moldova