South Korea on brink of WC exit after 'wrong' Son gamble
South Africa secured its first-ever advancement to the knockout phase of the World Cup after a 1-0 victory over South Korea. The match, held at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, saw Thapelo Maseko score the decisive goal in the 63rd minute, propelling Bafana Bafana to second place in Group A behind Mexico.
This result means South Africa will now face Canada, the second-place finisher in Group B, in a knockout game on Sunday in Inglewood, California. The win was particularly notable given South Africa‘s challenging start to the tournament, which included a 2-0 loss to Mexico and a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic.
South Africa‘s head coach, Hugo Broos, expressed his pride in the team’s mentality, stating that the group works together and is not intimidated by other teams. Defender Sphephelo Sithole, who received a red card in the opening game, also contributed to the clean sheet against South Korea.
Son Heung-min’s benching decision
A significant talking point of the match was South Korea‘s decision to start without captain Son Heung-min, opting to bring him in as a substitute. This choice by head coach Hong Myung-bo raised questions, especially given Son‘s stature as the country’s all-time top appearance maker and second top scorer.
Hong Myung-bo later indicated that he had intended to introduce Son when South African defenders were less energetic. Following the loss, Hong acknowledged that he might have made different choices if he had known the outcome beforehand, taking responsibility for the decision.
Son, who is 33 years old, has not scored in 13 appearances in the Major League Soccer season this calendar year, and his last World Cup goal was in 2018. Despite this, his absence from the starting lineup was unexpected, particularly as South Korea still had much to play for in Group A.
South Korea had previously secured a 2-1 win against the Czech Republic and suffered a 1-0 defeat to Mexico. Their progression to the knockout rounds now depends on the results of other matches scheduled for this week.
Match dynamics and Maseko’s impact
Despite the perceived talent difference between the two squads, South Africa‘s disciplined approach caused problems for South Korea from the outset. Thapelo Maseko, who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns, was a constant threat, creating several scoring opportunities before his goal.
Maseko‘s winning goal came in the 63rd minute, following a precise cross from Tshepang Moremi. He received the ball on the right side of the box, cut inside, and struck it low with his left foot through a defender’s legs into the bottom corner. This marked Maseko‘s first World Cup goal, and his teammates celebrated enthusiastically.
The atmosphere in the stadium was also influenced by news of Mexico‘s goals in their concurrent match, leading to celebrations among local fans that coincided with Maseko‘s strike. South Africa‘s performance, characterized by determination and effective counter-attacks, earned them a significant victory.
South Africa‘s head coach, Hugo Broos, reflected on the win as a potential highlight near the end of his career, describing it as a dream way to conclude. South Korea, which had reached the knockout rounds in 2002, 2010, and 2022, now faces an uncertain path forward in the tournament.
Source: nbcnews.com
