Hong Myungbo's Squad Redeems Brazil Defeat with 2-0 Victory Over Paraguay Thanks to Goals from Eom Jiseong and Oh Hyungyu (Comprehensive)

After suffering a heavy defeat against Brazil, the South Korean national football team took out their frustration on Paraguay.

The South Korean national football team, led by head coach Hong Myungbo, defeated Paraguay 2-0 in a friendly match held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 14th, with goals from Eom Jiseong in the 15th minute of the first half and Oh Hyungyu in the 30th minute of the second half. With this result, Hong Myungbo's squad concluded the October A-matches against two South American teams with one win and one loss.

Four days earlier, Hong Myungbo's team had managed only one shot on target and suffered a 0-5 loss in a friendly against Brazil. They were also outshot 4 to 14 overall. However, against Paraguay, South Korea held a slight edge in total shots at 8 to 7 and recorded three shots on target.

South Korea national soccer team player Eom Jiseong scored the opening goal in the 15th minute of the first half during the friendly match against Paraguay held on the 14th at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and raised both arms in response to the cheers of the crowd.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

As always, captain Son Heungmin led the attack up front. Having set the record for most A-match appearances for the Korean national team in the previous match against Brazil, Son increased his tally to 138 appearances.

Eom Jiseong, who scored the opening goal, and Lee Donggyeong supported Son Heungmin as wingers, while Hwang Inbeom and Kim Jingyu controlled the midfield. Alongside Kim Minjae, Park Jinseop and Lee Hanbeom formed a three-man defense. The wingback positions were filled by Lee Myeongjae and Kim Moonhwan. Kim Seunggyu was the goalkeeper.

The early phase of back-and-forth in midfield was broken by Eom Jiseong's goal. Lee Myeongjae sent in a cross from the left, which a Paraguayan defender tried to clear but mis-kicked. The ball bounced high in the penalty box and fell in front of Eom Jiseong, who calmly finished with his right foot.

Having seized the momentum, South Korea pressed Paraguay with superior possession. In the 30th minute of the first half, Lee Donggyeong unleashed a sharp left-footed mid-range shot from the left side of the penalty arc, though it narrowly missed the goal.

South Korea faced a critical moment in the 43rd minute of the first half due to a mistake by Lee Hanbeom. Goalkeeper Kim Seunggyu found himself up against two opposing attackers, but he remained composed and made a crucial save to prevent a goal.

South Korean national football team striker Oh Hyun-gyu is celebrating after scoring his second goal in the friendly match against the Paraguay national football team held on the 14th at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul.
Photo by Yonhap News

After finishing the first half 1-0, head coach Hong Myungbo substituted Son Heungmin, Lee Hanbeom, and Lee Donggyeong at the start of the second half, bringing on Oh Hyungyu, Cho Yumin, and Lee Kangin. Hong's tactical decisions paid off.

Lee Kangin and Oh Hyungyu, who came on as substitutes in the second half, combined for the second goal. In the 30th minute of the second half, Lee Kangin sent a long pass from behind the halfway line to Oh Hyungyu up front. Oh broke through the opponent's offside line and quickly got past the defenders. He then lightly touched the ball with his right foot to get past the onrushing goalkeeper and calmly finished with his left foot.

South Korea had drawn 2-2 against Paraguay in a friendly match in June 2022 ahead of the Qatar World Cup. In this rematch, three years and four months later, South Korea secured a decisive victory. The all-time record between South Korea and Paraguay now stands at three wins, four draws, and one loss for South Korea.

Hong Myungbo's squad will play another A-match against Bolivia, another South American team, in November. The match against Bolivia is scheduled for November 14, and Ghana is being mentioned as a potential next opponent.