The South Korea Under-20 National Team, led by head coach Kim Eun-joong, lost a heartbreaking 2-1 semifinal match against Italy at the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 at the La Plata Stadium in Argentina at 6 a.m. ET on Monday. South Korea fell behind early, conceding a goal in the 14th minute to Cassaday. They didn’t back down. In the 18th minute, a foul in the box earned a penalty kick. Lee Seung-won stepped up and calmly converted to tie the game at 1-1. A fierce battle for a spot in the final ensued. South Korea conceded the final goal in the 41st minute through Simone Papundi. South Korea were hoping to reach their second consecutive final after the 2019 tournament in Poland, but it was not to be.
It was a heartbreaking defeat. The Little Taeguk Warriors sat hesitantly on the ground. But Kim Eun-jung-ho’s path was hot. He broke the expectations before the opening and wrote a miracle. It’s a reversal of fortune for the so-called “valley generation 토토사이트. South Korea reported a 2-1 victory in their first group game against France. They finished second in the group with draws against Honduras (2-2) and Gambia (0-0). This is the first time Korea has reached the round of 16 undefeated at the U-20 World Cup. They defeated Ecuador (3-2) in the Round of 16 and Nigeria (1-0) in extra time in the quarterfinals. South Korea is the first Asian nation to reach the semifinals of two consecutive tournaments.
Japanese media Nikkan Sports reported, “South Korea missed out on a second consecutive final after losing to Italy. They were pushed to the third and fourth place match against Israel. South Korea was considered the valley generation before the tournament. Without a star player like Lee Kang-in from the last tournament, it was hard to expect much from the team. However, coach Kim Eun-joong, who played for Sendai in the J-League, used counting attacks and a variety of set plays to reach the quarterfinals for the second consecutive time.
The Little Taeguk Warriors’ World Cup is not over yet. They play their final game against Israel on Nov. 12.
