The South Korea Under-20 men’s national soccer team fell to Italy in the quarterfinals of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) U-20 World Cup.
The South Korean U-20 football team, led by head coach Kim Eun-joong, fell to Italy 1-0 in the semifinals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 at La Plata Stadium in Argentina on Monday (June 9). The loss ended South Korea’s bid for a second consecutive final after finishing runners-up at the 2019 tournament in Poland.
Korea conceded the first goal in the 14th minute to Cesare Cassaday, the ‘Boundary No. 1’. After strong Italian pressure from the Korean corner area, the ball was cleared by our defense and went to the Italian player’s feet. Riccardo Turricchia immediately sent a ground ball cross to the center of the field, and Cassaday headed it in to split the goal.
Bae Joon-ho and Lee Seung-won combined to equalize in the 23rd minute. Bae was pushed down by Mattia Chanotti and awarded a penalty kick via video assistant referee (VAR), which Lee converted with a right-footed shot to the left side of the goal. The goal gave Lee two goals and four assists, the same as Lee Kang-in (Mallorca) four years ago.
Kim Eun-Joong-ho played a solid defensive and physical game against Italy, but conceded in the last minute of the game. In the 41st minute, a foul gave away a free kick in the penalty box arc, and Simone Papundi scored the winning goal with a picturesque left-footed shot over the defense. Korea fought back, but there wasn’t enough time to break through the tight Italian defense.
“I’m very disappointed because we created good chances towards the end and lost,” said Kim Eun-joong, “but the players dedicated themselves to the team and gave more than 100%. They must have been very upset to enter the tournament without high expectations, but they proved their worth on the field.”
There was also support for the athletes who gave their all. Korean supporters, including Argentinian expatriates, covered one side of the stadium in red, while on the other side of the world, about 1,000 people cheered in the early hours of the morning at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. President Yoon Seok-yul said after the game, “The leadership of coach Kim Eun-joong, who led the team to the quarterfinals, and the fighting spirit of the players gave the people hope and courage,” adding, “You are the future of Korean soccer. 메이저사이트
The national team is determined to reap the rewards of Yuzong. Kim Eun Joong-ho’s team will face Israel in the third-place game at 2:30 a.m. KST on June 12.
Captain Lee Seung-won, who has been directly involved in six of Kim’s nine goals in the tournament’s six games, said, “Some players have shown tears, but the tournament is not over yet,” adding, “We will definitely bring a result in the next game.” Bae Joon-ho, who earned praise from enemy coach Carmine Nunziata for his brilliant individual skills, also vowed to “do my best until the end.”