Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Korea Republic left it late to make it two-wins-out-of-two at the 2015 FIFA U-17 with substitute Oh Se-hun scoring in stoppage time against Guinea as Choi Jin-cheul’s side recorded heir second 1-0 victory in Group B.
Buoyed by a battling defeat of Brazil in the tournament curtain raiser, the young South Koreans went into Tuesday’s meeting knowing that three points against the West Africans would all but guarantee their place in the Round of 16.
But as the clock at the at the Estadio La Portada ticked down it was looking increasingly likely that the 2014 AFC U-16 Championship runners up would have to be content with a sharing the spoils against a Guinea side that shaded the first-half and proved to be just as competitive after the interval.
However, two minutes into stoppage time substitute Oh, who didn’t feature at last year’s continental youth championship in Bangkok, fired home the winner having only just replaced Barcelona striker and AFC U-16 Championship 2014 MVP Lee Sueng-woo as the match entered additional time.
Korea Republic’s victory ensures that they cannot finish lower than second in the Group B standings, with defeat to England in their final group phase match on Friday coupled with a Brazil win over Guinea seeing the South Americans take top spot in the table.
As it stands the South Koreans are on six points, two more than Brazil, who defeated the English 1-0 in Tuesday’s earlier match at the Estadio La Portada, and five clear of both the Europeans and Guinea.
Despite securing their place in the knockout stage, Korea Republic head coach Choi believes there is still more to come form his side as the young Taeguk Warriors look to better the quarter-final finish they achieved at the East Asians’ last appearance in the FIFA U-17 World Cup back in 1999.
"Guinea was quite difficult to beat, very fast on the counter with four good attackers. But their defence weakened in the second period and we gradually gained the upper hand,” the former Korea Republic international defender said in his post-match assessment.
“We can still show a lot more things in this World Cup. So far we have defended and countered well, but I think we can show more offensive play. We have the players to do so.”
Photo: FIFA/Getty Images