South Korea's under-23 (U-23) national soccer team advanced to the final if it won 1-0 against host Saudi Arabia with Um Ji-sung's winning goal in the 41st minute of the first half in the 2024 Western Asian Football Confederation (WAFF) U-23 Championship semifinals at Al Fate Stadium in Al Mubaraj, Saudi Arabia, on the 24th .
Korea will play Australia in the final round of the tournament at 5 a.m. on the 27th.
After a 1-1 draw with Egypt, Australia won the penalty shootout 2-1 and reached the final.
This tournament is a prelude to the 2024 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup, which will be held in Qatar from the 15th of next month as well as the Asian qualifying round for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Eight countries, including Australia, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates, participated, starting with South Korea, which aims to advance to the Olympic finals for the 10th consecutive time.
The U-23 national team, which is playing in this tournament, is playing as "Hwang Sun-hong without Hwang Sun-hong," as Hwang Sun-hong, who is leading the U-23 national team, takes over as the "interim head coach" of the national soccer team, which will play in the second round of the 2026 North-China World Cup qualifiers.
South Korea, which started the offensive with Baek Sang-hoon (Seoul)'s mid-range shot in the 13th minute of the first half, left a regret when Hong Si-hoo (Incheon) right footed shot from the right side of the penalty area hit the net next to the right side of the Saudi net in the 23rd minute of the first half.
Saudi Arabia's counterattack was also strong.
South Korea, which gave up a free kick to Saudi Arabia near the penalty arc in the 38th minute of the first half, overcame the crisis when goalkeeper Baek Jong-beom fired a right-footed shot from Suhayb Al-Zaid. 토토사이트
South Korea, which overcame the crisis of losing a point, predicted victory in the 41st minute of the first half with Um Ji-sung's scoring shot.
When the ball from the back was hit by a Saudi defender, Bae Joon-ho (Stoke City) caught it and stabbed it to Hong Si-woo who jumped to the left side of the penalty area, and Hong scored with a right footed shot. Hong's goal was the final goal.
South Korean players, who finished the first half 1-0, had a brief emotional fight with Saudi players in the 15th minute of the second half.
Salem Alnazidi, who was competing for an aerial ball near the left touchline, was pushed behind the billboard by Hong Si-hoo, and players from both teams rushed in and engaged in a war of nerves.
South Korea continued its offensive in the 28th minute of the second half, with Ahn Jae-joon (Bucheon)'s right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area flying in front of the goalkeeper, but ended the game with a one-goal victory without additional points.
