In a late turn of events that are now expected in a group’s third round of games at this World Cup, South Korea qualified for the last-16 with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Portugal.
Ricardo Horta scored the opener for Portugal before Kim Young-gwon’s equaliser near the half-hour mark. The game was heading for a 1-1 draw before second-half substitute Hwang Hee-chan’s added-time winner.
Roshane Thomas, Michael Bailey and Ahmed Walid analyse the key talking points…
South Korea. It was fun while it last… hang on!
From their opening 0-0 draw with Uruguay, South Korea’s playing style was clear: depending on wide areas with full-backs Kim Jin-su and Kim Moon-hwan rampaging forward. It brought them the two goals against Ghana in the second match — and they probably deserved an equaliser in that 3-2 defeat.
South Korea maintained the same approach in the first half against Portugal but in the second it was a bit different. Coach Paulo Bento moved to a more cautious approach, his team dropping deeper to deny long passes over the defence and the switches of play from one full-back to the other that Portugal were clearly targeting.
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The Koreans focused on transitions and at the death, Hwang Hee-chan’s run was found by a needle-pass from Son Heung-min, taking out three Portuguese defenders.
It’s the goal that South Korea needed to go through on goals scored — edging Uruguay by four to two.
At the beginning of the game, a fan asked Bento, in the stands having been sent off at the end of the previous game against Ghana, to please sit down as he couldn’t watch the game. Bento just couldn’t understand the situation, explaining that he has to stand to have a better view of the action — and he is the manager.
After that crazy ending, Bento was jumping about in the stands, clearly frustrated by something. It didn’t matter though.
His side are through to the knockout phase.
Ahmed Walid
Timing can be everything at a World Cup
When any sporting event arrives only once every four years, you appreciate how much has to go right for any player to shine at that very moment.
So it feels right to spare a thought for South Korea captain Son.
The 30-year-old enjoyed a stellar first half of 2022 and was looking forward to shining on the biggest stage. Then at the start of November, he underwent surgery on a fracture around his left eye suffered playing for Tottenham Hotspur.
Son has at least been able to start all three Group H games. But being knocked out of his rhythm and then playing every minute of this World Cup in a protective face mask would have been a far from ideal scenario for such a talismanic figure.
And yet, the sight of him visibly encouraging his country’s supporters in the stands during a brief break in play here spoke volumes. Then come stoppage time, regardless of such setbacks or question marks, Son created the dramatic winning goal that sent South Korea into the last 16.
A brilliant moment and in the end, perfect timing.
Michael Bailey
You had me at Dalot
If there was an award for most improved player for 2022-23, Diogo Dalot would be a leading contender.
In eight appearances for Portugal since making his debut last year, the Manchester United full-back has scored twice and registered three assists. The 23-year-old patiently had to wait for his chance, with manager Fernando Santos favouring Joao Cancelo at right-back.
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But the Manchester City defender failed to provide an assist in the first two group games against Ghana and Uruguay. Cancelo was shifted over to left-back against South Korea, and Dalot impressed on the opposite flank. He was the provider for Horta’s opener with some delightful control and a precise cut-back, and his performance will put him in good stead to start their last-16 game on Monday against the runners-up in Group G.
It has been some turnaround for Dalot.
He struggled with consistency last season and failed to score or register an assist in 30 appearances across all competitions for United. But this calendar year he has improved offensively amassing three goals and three assists for club and country.
Roshane Thomas
Ronaldo not scoring is noteworthy… if you want it to be
Cristiano Ronaldo has masses of fans who were desperate for him to draw level with Eusebio in becoming Portugal’s leading goalscorer at the World Cup.
However, Ronaldo being denied a goal in the preceding victory over Uruguay amused many for one simple reason: they knew how much he wanted it. There were continuous protestations he got a touch on the ball that whizzed past his head on the way to the net and Bruno Fernandes – who supplied that cross – was ready to defer to his captain if needed.
Against South Korea, the narrative continued.
From his now infamous pre-World Cup interview to the termination of his Manchester United contract that has put Ronaldo in the free-agent shop window at this tournament, it all adds an extra level of amusement to those who are yet to warm to such a successful, global superstar.
This 90 minutes added a fluffed second-half chance where the offside flag was raised; one VAR may have overturned on referral.
But most pertinently, Ronaldo ignored what all the coaching manuals say about solid defending to turn his back on the South Korea corner, which hit him and sat perfectly for Kim Young-gwon to equalise and ultimately set up the win.
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It was one of the few occasions the TV cameras went to a Ronaldo close-up and he wasn’t seen looking up at the screens to capture the view.
Ronaldo will get other chances. His next goal may well be inevitable.
Therefore, a little laugh along the way is probably forgivable.
Michael Bailey
It’s OK to make the wrong decision…
Few things in football live up to the potential carnage of the final round of group games at a major tournament. Especially groups of four, but we will save that debate for another day.
A few minutes into this game, with Portugal taking an early lead, most watching would have assumed they chose the wrong game to follow.
With all the subplots and history between Uruguay and Ghana in the other Group H fixture, the pre kick-off choice was pretty obvious.
But then, football can sometimes be good at rewarding you for choices, one way or another. In the end, Korea produced another special moment among this World Cup’s final group games and whichever of the two matches you were watching, you were given the full, emotional fallout.
Of course, it may be that the only way to do these things at 100 per cent now is to sort yourself out a second screen and watch them both.
Michael Bailey
Portugal take advantage of South Korea’s high line
With Ruben Dias, Fernandes and Joao Felix on yellow cards and Santos looking to rotate, Portugal entered this game with a slightly changed line-up. Similar to the latter parts of the first half against Uruguay, their approach was more direct. Here, they were trying to find full-backs Cancelo and Dalot out wide.
This came to fruition as Pepe’s long pass over the Korean defensive block found Dalot on the right wing before he squared it to Horta, who opened the scoring.
These long passes were a current theme from Portugal’s back line in the first half, whether towards Dalot or Cancelo or even Ronaldo, whose missed one-vs-one looked better when he was flagged for offside. That chance came from a pass from Pepe through the South Korea block rather than above it.
In the second half, it was more about switches of play from one side to the other from the Portuguese midfield as the Korean block dropped deeper, but Portugal didn’t manage to create much.
Ahmed Walid
(Photo: Alex Grimm/Getty Images)