Yongin: The host country South Korea handled China 3-0 to open an East Asian men's football tournament Monday. Lee Dong-gyeong, Joo Min-kyu, and Kim Ju-sung each scored a goal as South Korea began the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship with a win at Yongin Mireu Stadium, located approximately 40 kilometers south of Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea, ranked 23rd globally, improved its record to 24 wins, 13 draws, and two losses against 94th-ranked China before an audience of 4,426 fans. This marks the 10th edition of the E-1 Championship, which commenced in 2003. The Taegeuk Warriors have claimed five titles, the most recent being in 2019.
South Korea's next matches are scheduled against Hong Kong on Friday and Japan on July 15, both at Yongin Mireu Stadium. The team accumulating the most points after the round-robin games will be declared the champions. The EAFF event is not part of the FIFA international match calendar, prompting teams to gather players from domestic leagues or other Asian circuits.
For South Korea, head coach Hong Myung-bo selected 23 players from the domestic K League 1 and three from the J1 League in Japan. Hong assembled a youthful squad with minimal prior international experience. Including second-half substitutions, six players made their senior national team debut on Monday.
Hong has indicated that this tournament will serve as a proving ground for K Leaguers aiming for the national team in next year's FIFA World Cup. European and Middle Eastern-based stars are anticipated to form the majority of the World Cup squad, leaving limited opportunities for K League players. Hong specifically chose defenders he believed had potential for World Cup selection.
The South Korean starting lineup featured several players with fewer than 10 caps, including midfielder Kim Bong-soo, who debuted internationally at age 25. The defense, composed of Lee Tae-seok, Kim Ju-sung, Park Jin-seob, and Park Seung-wook, had a combined 17 caps before Monday. Joo Min-kyu, the oldest player at 35, participated in only his 10th international match.
In the opening minutes, South Korea was on the defensive as China sought control, but the home team scored first in the eighth minute. Kim Moon-hwan delivered a long pass to Lee Dong-gyeong, who skillfully maneuvered past defenders to secure a left-footed shot that found the top left corner.
South Korea extended their lead in the 21st minute with Joo Min-kyu heading a cross from Lee Tae-seok for his third international goal. Despite not dominating possession, South Korea converted their first two shots on target.
China posed little threat to South Korea's defense, with Gao Tianyi's 38th-minute shot over the bar being their only significant first-half chance. Shortly after halftime, Moon Seon-min's shot was stopped by Yan Junling, and Kim Jin-gyu forced a diving save in the 55th minute.
South Korea's third goal came from Kim Ju-sung, who scored from a rebound after Park Seung-wook's header was saved. China's only notable opportunity in the second half was Wei Shihao's 89th-minute free kick over the bar.