The Asian team needed a late goal from Hwang Hee-Chan to book their tickets for the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2022 with a 2-1 win over Portugal. Their victory dashed Uruguay’s hopes, who crashed out despite a 2-0 win over Ghana in Group H.
The FIFA World Cup 2022 has had one of the most memorable group stages of any international competition in recent memory and the closing day of action on Friday once again lived up to its billing. With the exception of Portugal, who had already booked their tickets in the last 16 with consecutive wins, all the other teams – South Korea, Uruguay, and Ghana – were battling and striving for qualification.
South Korea emerged triumphant in that tussle thanks to their massive 2-1 win over European giants Portugal. Although Fernando Santos had opted to rotate his side heavily in order to give his star men a well-deserved rest before the knockouts, one can take nothing away from the fight and grit displayed by the Asian nation who had also stunned Germany 2-0 four years ago.
For a long while, it seemed as if they wouldn’t be able to manage that second goal after Kim Young-gwon cancelled out Ricardo Horta’s opening goal in the first half.
However, a terrific run from Son Heung-min in the first minute of added time found Hee-chan in the box, and he tucked it into the far corner to score the goal that sent his side to the round of 16.
Even after the game ended, South Korean players got in a huddle around the centre circle to follow the proceedings in the Uruguay-Ghana encounter going on at the same time. The South Koreans led the scoreline 2-0 thanks to a first-half brace from Giorgian de Arrascaeta in a game where, unsurprisingly, the headlines surrounded the pantomime villain, Luis Suarez.
However, despite the two-goal cushion, the inaugural World Cup winners failed to find another goal after South Korea went ahead and crashed out of the tournament on the basis of goal difference.
