Background on Key Figures and Relevance
On Saturday, South Korea triumphed over the United States 2-0 in a friendly match held at the Sports Illustrated Field in Harrison, New Jersey. The star of the game was Son Heung-min, a 33-year-old South Korean forward currently playing for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer (MLS).
Son Heung-min, who previously played for Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, has been a crucial player for South Korea. His international career spans over a decade, and he has scored 52 goals for his national team. His recent goal took him to this milestone, and South Korea is already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Game Summary
The match kicked off with Son Heung-min opening the scoring in the 18th minute. He capitalized on a space opportunity and scored with a cross-shot that beat Matt Freese, the US goalkeeper.
South Korea secured their 2-0 victory just two minutes before halftime, thanks to a brilliant team effort culminating in Lee Dong-gyeong’s finish. The win extended South Korea’s impressive unbeaten streak, as they haven’t lost since February 6, 2024, when they fell 2-0 to Jordan.
On the other hand, the US team under Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino continues to show inconsistency, with this loss being their seventh in 17 matches since he took charge.
Christian Pulisic, who returned to the US national team after missing the Gold Cup in June and July, played the full 90 minutes but lacked significant goal-scoring opportunities.
Upcoming Matches
The US will face Japan in another friendly match on Tuesday at the Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.
Prior to the recent match, the US confirmed friendlies for the November FIFA break against Paraguay in Philadelphia and Uruguay in Tampa Bay, both of which have already secured their spots in the 2026 World Cup.
Starting Lineups
- United States: Matt Freese – Sergiño Dest (Alex Freeman, 62), Tyler Adams (Cristian Roldán, 62), Diego Luna (Alejandro Zendejas, 71), Sebastián Berhalter (Jack McGlynn, 79) – Josh Sargent (Folarin Balogun, 62), Christian Pulisic, Tim Ream, Tristan Blackmon – Max Arfsten, Tim Weah (Chris Richards, 62)
- South Korea: Jo Hyeon-woo – Seol Young-woo (Jeong Sang-bin, 83), Kim Ju-sung (Kim Tae-hyeon, 83), Lee Tae-seok, Kim Min-jae – Lee Han-beom, Lee Dong-gyeong (Lee Kang-in, 63), Paik Seung-ho, Kim Jin-Kyu (Jens Castrop, 63) – Lee Jae-sung (Bae Jun-ho, 50), Son Heung-min (Oh Hyeon-gyu, 63)
Key Questions and Answers
- Who won the match? South Korea defeated the United States 2-0.
- Who scored the goals? Son Heung-min scored both goals for South Korea.
- What is the significance of this win for South Korea? The victory extends their unbeaten streak and secures their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- How has the US team performed under Mauricio Pochettino? The team has shown inconsistency, with this loss being their seventh in 17 matches since Pochettino took charge.
- What upcoming matches does the US team have? The US will face Japan in another friendly match on Tuesday, and they have confirmed friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay in November.
