‘Rotating’ Kim Eun-Joong Ho holds Gambia to 0-0 at half-time
Kim Eun-Joong played a scoreless first half in South Korea’s final group game against The Gambia.
The Republic of Korea Under-20 team, led by head coach Kim Eun-Joong, will take on the Gambia in their third Group F match of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 at the Estadio Malvinas Argentina in Mendoza, Argentina on Monday at 6:00 a.m. ET. At the end of the first half, the teams are tied at 0-0.
South Korea started with a 4-1-2-3 formation. Lee Ji-han, Lee Young-joon, and Kang Sung-jin were up front, with Park Hyun-bin and Lee Seung-won protecting the back. Lee Chan-wook was the defensive midfielder, while Choi Ye-hoon, Kim Ji-soo, Hwang In-taek, and Cho Young-kwang formed the back line. Moon Hyun-ho was in goal. Kim Jun-hong and Choi Seok-hyun were unavailable due to accumulated cautions and a red card, respectively.
The Gambia countered with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Adama Bojang started up top, while Mansour Mbier, Bailly Ba and Modou Lamine Marong formed the second line. Muhammed Jobe-Mamoudou Bajo supported the back four, while Saini Hunt-Alaji Sein-Dembo Saidikan-Bakari Zawara formed the defense. Paebu Dampa wore the goalkeeping gloves.
South Korea opened the scoring first. In the 11th minute, after a short ball on a corner kick opportunity, Kang Sung-jin unleashed a bold left-footed shot, but the ball hit the defense and deflected, forcing another corner kick.
The Gambia fought back. In the 22nd minute, Bojang got on the end of a cross from the left, and he tried to head it in unchallenged, but luckily the ball went wide of the goal.
After a cautious start, the Gambia had their first shot on target in a long time. On a free kick in the 35th minute, Saidikhan headed the ball back to the front of the box, but the distance was too much for goalkeeper Moon Hyun-ho to handle.
The Gambia continued to dominate the game, launching several attacks, but all of them were blocked by the Korean defense. In the 41st minute, a low cross from the right side of the box was blocked by a tackle from Hwang In-taek, and in the 43rd minute, Marong’s shot deflected off a defender and headed straight at the keeper. 먹튀검증
In the end, both teams went into halftime at 0-0. With both teams through to the Round of 16, it was a game that didn’t require too much pressure. South Korea and The Gambia had 38% and 50% of the possession respectively (12% contested). Shots were 6-1 in favor of the Gambia, but only one was on target.
If the match ends as it did, South Korea will advance to the Round of 16 as Group 2 runner-up and face Group B runner-up Ecuador.