Korea Republic women’s national team lost 5-1 to Portugal as they finished the friendly series on the road with mixed results.
 

Colin Bell’s side slumped to a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Portugal in a friendly staged at Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota in Estoril on Tuesday, with Son Hwayeon pulling one goal back late on in the first encounter between the sides.
 

The defeat has left the Taegeuk Nangja with a record of a win and a defeat as they wrapped up the series of friendlies away from home.
 

Bell opted for a 3-5-2 formation with Choe Yuri and Casey Phair leading the attack up front, with Ji Soyun, Lee Mina and Cho Sohyun deployed in midfield.

Choo Hyojoo and Lee Eunyoung started on the flanks; Shim Seoyeon, Lee Youngju and Kim Hyeri at the back; and Kim Jungmi between the posts.

The hosts started the game brightly with Jessica Silva marauding freely on the right flank. After just five minutes, Silva broke into the right channel to send an inviting cross into the penalty box, but no one could connect with the ball with the goalkeeper stranded.
 

Then there was Ji Soyun, who had scored against Czechia with a free-kick, as the No10 stepped up to find the back of the net with another free-kick on 11 minutes. However, Ji’s audacious effort from a distance swerved out of the target.
 

It was Portugal that took the lead after 18 minutes, when Joana Marchao tried her luck from midfield. Marchao’s shot went straight at Kim Jungmi, who could not smother the ball that took strange deflection before going over the line.

Moments later, Choe Yuri thought she had equalised for her side, but the goal did not stand. On 25 minutes, Ines Pereira’s goal kick was intercepted by Choe who then broke free and scored with only the keeper to beat. But Choe was adjudged to have been inside the penalty area when the goal kick was taken, and the goal was eventually disallowed.
 

Korea Republic fell further behind on 37 minutes, when Telma Encarnacao lurked into the left channel. Encarnacao’s shot from the edge of the area was deflected by Kim Hyeri before rolling into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
 

Portugal then doubled their advantage with quickfire goals on the stroke of half time. Silva intercepted Lee Youngju’s attempted clearance on the right flank, before putting Andreia Faria through on goal. Kim Jungmi did manage to stop the initial effort from Faria, but the Benfica midfielder latched onto the rebound to finish from close range. Two minutes later, another defensive error resulted in a Portuguese counterattack, which culminated in Silva’s clinical finish with only the keeper to beat.

Bell responded by reshuffling his side after the interval, as Son Hwayeon and Kang Chaerim came off the bench to replace Lee Mina and Shim Seoyeon respectively. The rearguard switched to back four, with Son and Kang marauding on the flanks to cause all sorts of problems for the Portuguese defence.
 

However, it was the hosts that scored the first goal of the break. Six minutes into the second half, Silva broke free on goal after receiving a long ball from behind and made no mistake with only Kim Jungmi to beat.
 

Nevertheless, the Taegeuk Nangja did not give up the fight. On 59 minutes, Portugal goalkeeper Ines Pereira fumbled the ball whilst trying to parry away a cross from the right, before Son Hwayeon latched onto the loose ball to lay it off to Ji Soyun. But Ji could only drag her effort straight at Pereira.

Chun Garam came off the bench to replace Casey Phair on 72 minutes, as Son Hwayeon moved from the left flank to the centre, with Chun operating as a left winger.

Korea Republic finally fought back on 79 minutes. Kang Chaerim sent an inviting cross from the right and as Pereira failed to clear the ball, Son Hwayeon lurked into the goalmouth to finish from close range.

Women’s national team international friendly

Korea Republic 1-5 Portugal

Goals: Son Hwayeon 79’; Joana Marchao 18’, Telma Encarnacao 37’, Andreia Faria 45’, Jessica Silva 45’+2, 51’

KOR: Kim Jungmi, Shim Seoyeon (Kang Chaerim 46’), Lee Youngju, Kim Hyeri, Choo Hyojoo, Lee Eunyoung (Moon Mira 84’), Cho Sohyun (Jeon Eunha 61’), Lee Mina (Son Hwayeon 46’), Ji Soyun, Choe Yuri (Kim Yoonji 84’), Casey Phair (Chun Garam 72’)