[Asian Games] Hwang Sunhong Team Advances to Semifinals... 2-0 Victory over China with Goals by Hong Hyunseok and Song Mingyu (Summary)

4th at 9 PM Semifinal Match Against Uzbekistan

The South Korean U-24 national football team, challenging for the first-ever men's football three-peat in Asian Games history, overcame the host nation China 2-0 to advance past the quarterfinal hurdle.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Led by coach Hwang Sun-hong, the U-24 football team secured a 2-0 victory against China in the men's football quarterfinals of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games held at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, China, on the 1st. Goals by Hong Hyun-seok and Song Min-gyu in the first half were well defended until the end. Overcoming the home advantage of the host country, Hwang Sun-hong's team will face Uzbekistan, who defeated Saudi Arabia 2-1, in the semifinals on the 4th at 9 PM.

Coach Hwang Sun-hong confronted China with an unconventional strategy by excluding key attackers Lee Kang-in, Jung Woo-young, and Eom Won-sang, and deploying Ahn Jae-jun and Song Min-gyu as wide attackers. The forward position was consistently held by Cho Young-wook, while the midfield was managed by Ko Young-joon, Baek Seung-ho, and Hong Hyun-seok. The back four defense consisted of Park Kyu-hyun, Park Jin-seop, Lee Han-beom, and Hwang Jae-won, with goalkeeper Lee Kwang-yeon guarding the net.

Hong Hyun-seok is cheering after scoring the first goal with a left-footed curling free kick in the 18th minute of the first half during the men's football quarterfinal match against China at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games held at Huanglong Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, China on the 1st.
Photo by Yonhap News

Korea confidently pushed their line forward from the start, pressuring China. They targeted China's left and right flanks, continuing attempts at shots through crosses.

In the 6th minute of the first half, Hong Hyun-seok delivered a cross from the right, which Cho Young-wook connected with a header, but it narrowly missed outside the left goalpost. At the 15th minute, Ko Young-joon had a decisive chance from the center. Park Kyu-hyun broke through on the left and crossed, and although the opposing defense cleared it with a header, the ball fell to Ko Young-joon at the arc. Ko took a shot on target but lacked power, and the ball rolled weakly to the opposing goalkeeper.

The long-awaited first goal came in the 18th minute from Hong Hyun-seok's left foot. Hwang Jae-won earned a foul just outside the right side of the opponent's penalty box in the 17th minute. Hong Hyun-seok took the free kick and precisely targeted the upper right corner of the Chinese goal with a sharp curling left-footed shot, scoring the first goal.

Hong Hyun-seok showed sharp form again in the 21st minute of the second half. He connected a header from a cross coming from the right, threatening the Chinese goal. Although the shot lacked power, the ball headed under the crossbar, and Chinese goalkeeper Han Ziqi stretched out his hand to barely clear it over the crossbar.

China then pushed their line forward and attempted a counterattack. They earned two corner kicks, increasing their offensive pressure, but failed to create threatening chances.

Korea changed the momentum again in the 31st minute of the first half. Song Min-gyu received a pass from Ahn Jae-jun inside the penalty box and curled a shot with his right foot, threatening the Chinese goal.

Song Min-gyu is cheering after scoring an additional goal in the 35th minute of the first half during the men's football quarterfinal match against China at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, China, on the 1st of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Song Min-gyu eventually scored the second goal in the 35th minute of the first half. Cho Young-wook broke through the right side of the opponent and delivered a low cross to the charging Song Min-gyu in the center. Chinese goalkeeper Han Ziqi dived to clear the ball, but it brushed past his right hand and rolled weakly to Song Min-gyu, who gently pushed it in to score the second goal.

Korea faced a scoring threat just before the end of the first half due to a passing error in midfield. Fortunately, Dai Weijun's header hit the goalpost and bounced out, preventing a goal.

In the second half, Korea generally controlled the flow of the game. In the 11th minute, Hwang Jae-won overlapped and crossed, which Song Min-gyu headed from the center, but the ball weakly went to the opposing goalkeeper.

Coach Hwang Sun-hong made changes in the 18th minute of the second half by substituting Song Min-gyu, Ko Young-joon, and Ahn Jae-jun with Lee Kang-in, Jung Woo-young, and Eom Won-sang.

China, which had not created significant attacking chances in the first half, made several counterattacks in the second half but still failed to show threatening form. Ultimately, Korea protected the two first-half goals well and secured their place in the semifinals.

In stoppage time of the second half, Lee Kang-in took a free kick from the right side of the penalty area and shot directly. The shot was on target but was caught by Han Ziqi.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.