Despite playing a poor first half, South Korea found their rhythm to defeat Portugal 2-1 in a thrilling World Cup quarter-final on Friday. Two goals in the last nine minutes gave the hosts a much-needed boost. With the result, the Koreans advanced to the last 16 of the competition for the first time in their history.
South Korea beat Portugal 2-1
Despite a sluggish first half, South Korea snuck in a late winner to beat Portugal to qualify for the knockout stages of the World Cup. It was a dramatic victory and a huge boost to South Korea’s World Cup prospects. It also helped them to move into second place in Group H. It was the first time Korea Republic has made it beyond the first round of the group stage at a World Cup.
After a sluggish start, Portugal took the lead through Ricardo Horta. A fine cross from the left by Manchester City full back Joao Cancelo was met by the Portugal number nine.
The Portuguese captain made a few changes at the break, and brought on Andre Silva and Joao Mario to replace Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes. Fernando Santos opted to rest some of his first team regulars. The Uruguay boss also recalled Manchester City defender Diogo Dalot, who has been directly involved in four goals in his last three Portugal appearances.
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a great chance to score the first goal of the match. He was offside after receiving a pass from Pepe. He was quickest to react to the corner delivery, but his shot was weak.
Hwang Im-Beong was next to try his luck from distance. He was thwarted by Diogo Costa, who made a good save. But he was soon rewarded with a goal.
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Goals scored by both sides
Despite going behind early, South Korea scored two goals in the last four minutes to secure a dramatic 2-1 win against Portugal. The victory, which secured second place in Group H, saw the Koreans avoid elimination.
Tottenham Hotspur star Heung-Min Son slipped the ball through for fellow Premier League star Hwang Hee-chan. The ball hit Hwang’s leg and he went on a run that ended with him finishing past Diogo Costa.
The goal sparked wild celebrations in the stands. Four of South Korea’s last seven goals at World Cup have come in the last minute.
In the second half, South Korea looked sluggish and lacked the creativity to break through Portugal’s defence. The Koreans were also asked to defend on multiple occasions, a lack which undermined any advantage their team might have had.
Portugal made six changes to the side that beat Uruguay on Monday night. Their first change came early on. The Portuguese took the lead with an unmarked goal from winger Ricardo Horta. The Portuguese had never lost a World Cup match when taking the lead first.
South Korea levelled after 17 minutes. After a poor clearance by Cristiano Ronaldo, Kim Young-gwon swept the ball past Costa. Kim Jin-Su was then offside and scored the rebound.
Match preview
Despite Portugal having the advantage in the first half, South Korea fought back to win 2-1 and advance to the knockout rounds of the World Cup. A late goal from Hee-chan Hwang earned South Korea the win and the group’s second place.
Portugal took the lead in the fifth minute. Joao Cancelo delivered a nice cross into the box, which was blocked and then rebounded off Cristiano Ronaldo’s back. The ball struck the Portuguese forward on the shoulder and he was then flagged for offside.
Portugal made six changes at the break. Bruno Fernandes was replaced by Joao Mario, and Matheus Nunes and Diogo Dalot came on for Ronaldo and Rubes. However, Cristiano Ronaldo missed a golden opportunity to equal Eusebio’s record of nine World Cup goals.
The second half was a disappointment for South Korea. They lacked their usual trickery and were often caught out by the pace of Portugal. A flurry of substitutions came to fruition in the final 10 minutes, with Paulo Bento being sent off for an apparent foul on Joao Cancelo.
However, it was Portugal’s first-half goal that helped the side gain confidence. It was the first time Portugal had opened the scoring in a World Cup match.
A superb first-time strike from Ricardo Horta earned Portugal a deserved lead. It was his first goal for the country, and it was also the first time he has scored in a major tournament.
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