get the latest K League News
A 4-0 win over Romania moved South Korea top of Olympics Group B and in the driving seat to finish as group winners. Meanwhile, Doneil Henry and Canada are through to the Concacaf Gold Cup semi-finals after a win over Costa Rica on Monday morning. Part 4 of K League Internationals July 2021.
A four-goal rout of Romania gave South Korea got their Tokyo 2020 campaign fully up and running. Kim Hak-bum's South Korea Olympic team were looking to bounce back from Thursday's loss to New Zealand but thanks to the emphatic victory, the Taeguk Warriors moved top of Group B on goal difference after Honduras overcame New Zealand earlier in the day.
Korea’s first goal of the Olympics came in the 27th minute, Lee Dong-jun’s cross from the right was met by Marius Marin for an own goal - great finish but just in the wrong net. Then, on the stroke of half time, Ion Gheorghe was sent off for Romania - making Korea’s task that little bit easier.
Just shy of the hour mark, Lee Dong-gyeong’s shot took two deflections and it looked as though Um Won-sang got the final touch to make it 2-0, then a third came late on thanks to a penalty from Lee Kang-in who came off the bench - Ulsan's Seol Young-woo won the spot kick with a driving run into the box. Lee Kang-in then made it four in the 89th minute, Jeju United full back Kang Yoon-seong with the assist.
[READ: K League in Tokyo 2020: Kang Yoon-seong Q&A]
There were a few changed to the lineup; Lee Dong-gyeong was brought in, so was his Ulsan teammate Lee Dong-jun, Lee Kang-in and Kwon Chang-hoon dropped to the bench but made second half substitute appearances. It was all one-way traffic from Korea and it was just a matter of time before they added to their goal tally.
Starting lineup: 1. Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk), 4. Park Ji-soo (Gimcheon, 19. Kang Yoon-seong (Jeju), 5. Jeong Tae-wook (Daegu), 12. Seol Young-woo (Ulsan), 6. Jeong Seung-won (Daegu), 15. Won Du-jae (Ulsan), 10. Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan), 16. Hwang Ui-jo (Bordeaux), 11. Lee Dong-jun (Ulsan), 17. Um Won-sang (Gwangju).
Off the bench came: Lee Kang-in (Valencia), Kwon Chang-hoon (Suwon Bluewings), Song Min-kyu (Jeonbuk), as well as Kim Jin-gyu (Busan) and Kim Jae-woo (Daegu) for their first Olympics appearances.
[READ: K League Olympians Goalkeepers and Defenders]
South Korea vs Honduras, Tokyo Olympics
Up next is Honduras on Wednesday at 17:30 Korea time in a game which will decide the group. Currently, Kim Hak-bum's side sit top of Group B on goal difference and so know that a win over their South American counterparts on Wednesday night ought to be enough to seal first place. However, as all four times are locked on the same number of points, Korea will have to ensure that they better the goal difference of the winners of the New Zealand versus Romania fixture.
Honduras, meanwhile, came from behind to beat New Zealand last time out - scoring two in the last 12 minutes to pick up a 3-2 victory. New Zealand opened the scoring on 10 minutes through Cacae before Palma levelled on the stroke of half time. Wood made it 2-1 to the OlyWhites on 49 but then Obregón Jr restored parity on 78 minutes before Rivas fired in the winner on 87. It was Honduras' first win in three having lost their first Olympics match 1-0 to Romania and the warm up match against host nation Japan on 12th July.
Of Head Coach Miguel Falero's 22-man squad, 17 play in the domestic league and five abroad. Forward Douglas Martinez is on the books of MLS side Real Salt Lake while Juan Carlos Obregón players for Hartford Athletic in the USL Championship. Rigoberto Rivas is at Reggina in Italy's Serie B, wild card Brayan Moya is with Angolan side 1º de Agosto. The only other wild card are Jorge Benguché from Olimpia in Honduras.
Wednesday's clash will be just the second between Korea and Honduras U23s. The two teams faced off in the 2016 Olympics in Rio, with Honduras coming out on top on that occasion on account of a goal from Alberth Elis on the hour mark, Romell Quioto with the assist.
[READ: K League Olympians Midfielders and Attackers]
A 2-0 win over Costa Rica on Monday night put Canada through to the semi-finals of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup. Suwon Bluewings' Doneil Henry was named amongst the substitutes but came on in the second half. If Canada are to advance to a first Gold Cup final in 21 years, then, in beating Mexico, the Canucks will have to do something which has not been done since the year 2000 - the year they win the competition for the second time. That year, Canada beat Mexico in the semis and went on to claim victory in the final over Colombia.
Overall, there have been 34 meetings since 1957, Canada have seven wins to Mexico's 20 and seven draws. The most recent meeting came in the same competition in 2019 when the two sides met in the group stages. On that occasion, Mexico ran out 3-1 winners - Doneil Henry played the full 90.
Mexico versus Canada kicks off on Friday 30th July at 11:00 AM KST.
Paul Neat
Managing Editor
Twitter: @NeatPaul
