The South Korean men's soccer team, led by coach Lee Min-sung, secured the top spot in Group D on September 22. They will face Vietnam in the quarterfinals.
The team achieved a 2-0 victory against Saudi Arabia in their second group match of the 2026 Aichi Nagoya Asian Games, held at Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya.
Utilizing a 4-2-3-1 formation, the team featured Kim Myung-jun at the forefront, supported by Yang Min-hyuk, Lee Hyun-joo, and Eom Ji-sung in the midfield. Captain Lee Gi-hyuk and Lee Seung-won coordinated in the center, while the backline remained unchanged from the first match, consisting of Kim Ji-soo, Choi Seok-hyun, Shin Min-ha, and Bae Hyun-seo. Goalkeeper Kim Jun-hong started the match.
The first half ended in a 0-0 stalemate, with both teams exchanging attacks. Saudi Arabia made tactical substitutions at the start of the second half, which energized their play. Substitute Adnan Al-Bishiri nearly scored just three minutes after entering, but Kim Jun-hong made a crucial save.
South Korea made a change in the 54th minute, bringing in Bae Jun-ho for Yang Min-hyuk to bolster their attack. Eom Ji-sung had a shot that narrowly missed the goal, and a subsequent corner kick almost resulted in an own goal by Saudi Arabia, but it went just over the crossbar. In the 64th minute, Kim Ji-soo's header was also denied by Saudi goalkeeper Yazan Al-Ruwaili.
Finally, after sustained pressure, Shin Min-ha scored the opening goal with a header from a free kick in the 67th minute. Kim Myung-jun extended the lead in the 69th minute, converting a header from Bae Hyun-seo's cross. Coach Lee made several substitutions in the 75th minute, bringing in Lee Young-jun, Park Seung-soo, and Hwang Do-yoon for Kim Myung-jun, Eom Ji-sung, and Kim Ji-soo. Lee Young-jun, who joined the team on the first day, made his debut and showcased his presence by drawing fouls from Saudi players with his 190 cm height. The team successfully defended against Saudi Arabia's attacks for the remainder of the match.
In the quarterfinals, South Korea will face Vietnam, avoiding a matchup with Uzbekistan, the top team in Group C, thereby increasing their chances of advancing to the semifinals.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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