If I told you that South Korea scored a go-ahead goal to secure all three points in a 2-1 victory over Czechia, you’d assume that it was their captain and one of the greatest ever goal scorers in Asian soccer history, Son Heung-Min, who made the difference. But instead, it was actually the player who replaced him, Oh Hyeon-Gyu, a winger with Besiktas in Turkiye, who latched onto Hwang In-Beom’s pass to put South Korea ahead for good, cancelling out a set-piece goal from defender Ladislav Krejci.
On paper, in an expanded tournament with 48 teams, this is a great result, especially with a tough match against tournament co-hosts Mexico up next. Three points and an okay goal difference could be enough to see South Korea make it through to the round of 32 of the tournament. But this is a team with higher ambitions than that. They’ve been in every World Cup since 1986 and were able to make it to the round of 16 in Qatar in 2022.
Their captain, Son, is now 33, and it would be a shame for him to retire from international soccer without the Taegeuk Warriors going on a serious run. But Son hasn’t scored in the World Cup since 2018, and he also hasn’t scored for his club, Los Angeles FC, in MLS play this season. He does have eight assists, so this isn’t to say that he’s a liability by any means, but for someone who has been outrunning his expected goals for his career due to being such an excellent two-footed finisher, seeing him miss shots against Czechia is a bit of a concern. Son took six shots during the match, only putting one on target, and when he left the pitch, the team seemed more cohesive due to not looking for their talisman and playing an excellent game of out-pass the big lads on Czechia.
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The highs of South Korea’s attack weren’t as high, but they were able to keep Czechia from creating anything in the second half of play. Having a training camp in Utah at altitude helped with fitness, but to go on a run during this tournament, the time when Son needed to put the team on his back by shooting could be in the past. He’s still an excellent soccer player, but in Hwang Hee-Chan and Lee Kang-In, there are other excellent players who can put the ball in the back of the net as well.
If this is going to be the year that the Taegeuk Warriors finally go on a run as dark horses at the World Cup, they’ll need to figure out that balance on the fly. Taking Son off before the 70th minute shows that manager Hong Myung-Bo is willing to make the changes that are needed to win, and that’s a great start because this is a talented, organized side that can make some noise if they keep it up. And if Son can deliver, even more so.
“Son is a very stable player and I have no worries about him,” the coach said.