The Korean national football team, led by coach Paulo Bento, finished the first leg of the 2022 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship (East Asian Cup) 1-0 ahead of China in the first half.
South Korea took the lead in the first half of the East Asian Cup men’s match against China at the Toyota Stadium in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan on the 20th, and took the lead in the first half of the match with an own goal from the opponent.
In Korea, Jo Gyu-seong (Kimcheon) came out as the top player on this day, and Na Sang-ho (Seoul), Kwon Chang-hoon (Kimcheon), and Um Won-sang (Ulsan) appeared as second-line strikers.
Hwang In-beom (Seoul) and Baek Seung-ho (Jeonbuk) were in charge of the midfield, while Kim Jin-soo (Jeonbuk), Kwon Kyung-won (Gamba Osaka), Jo Yu-min (Daejeon), and Yoon Jong-gyu (Seoul) lined up the defense.
The starting goalkeeper was Kim Dong-jun (Jeju).
Korea, ranked 28th in the FIFA rankings, ranks much higher than China, which is ranked 78th, and has an absolute advantage with 20 wins, 13 draws, and 2 losses.
In addition, China is expected to have a smooth victory for Korea, as the national team is mainly made up of players under the age of 23 in this tournament.
South Korea opened fire with Na Sang-ho’s medium-range cannon in the 10th minute of the first half, and then Hwang In-beom attempted a series of powerful shots in the 22nd and 26th minutes of the first half and held an armed demonstration.
Hwang In-beom threatened the Chinese goal with a mid-range shot in the 22nd minute of the first half, but in the 26th minute, Jo Kyu-seong’s cross was hit by Uhm Won-sang with an exquisite volley shot and it floated in the air.
China counterattacked in the 30th minute of the first half and sent the ball to Korea’s camp with great effort, but China’s Fang Hao fouled Kim Dong-jun and could not continue the flow.
In the 34th minute of the first half, Chinese goalkeeper Han Ja-chi fell and caught a ground ball shot from Cho Kyu-sung inside the penalty area.
The goal came from an own goal in the 39th minute of the first half.
Kwon Kyeong-won raised the ball with his left foot near the half-line, and Chinese defender Zhu Cheon-je kicked it with his head and sent the ball into the Chinese goal.
In the 43rd minute of the first half, Jong-gyu Yoon’s cross was missed by Kyu-seong Cho, who aimed at the opponent’s goal with a header shot.
Just before the end, Kwon Chang-hoon’s left foot shot hit Kyu-seong Jo’s body and floated slightly, and the first half ended 1-0.
China failed to attempt a shot in the first half and was unilaterally pushed to the defensive end.
/yunhap news