Son Heung-min delivered a masterclass performance, scoring a goal and providing an assist, as South Korea secured a convincing 2-0 victory over the United States in a friendly match held at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The match served as a stark reminder of the challenges facing the USMNT as they look to build towards future competitions.
The United States, still smarting from their Concacaf Gold Cup final defeat to Mexico, struggled to find their rhythm against a well-organized South Korean side. Early opportunities fell to Sebastian Berhalter and Lee Dong-Gyeong, but both were thwarted by alert goalkeeping. The deadlock was broken in the 18th minute when Son Heung-min showcased his blistering pace and clinical finishing.
Lee Jae-Sung's precise through ball found Son racing in behind the American defense. The LAFC forward expertly controlled the pass before unleashing a powerful shot from a tight angle on the left, beating Matt Freese at his near post. The goal highlighted Son's ability to exploit space and punish defensive lapses.
The USMNT failed to mount a sustained response in the first half, and South Korea doubled their advantage just before the break. In the 43rd minute, Lee Dong-Gyeong displayed remarkable flair, flicking a backheel over the line after Freese had been drawn out of position by Son's presence. The goal underscored South Korea's dominance and the USMNT's defensive vulnerabilities.
Following the halftime break, Mauricio Pochettino's side attempted to inject more urgency into their play. However, they struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Jo Hyeon-Woo, the South Korean goalkeeper, largely untroubled until the 73rd minute. It was then that Chris Richards forced Jo into a save with an instinctive effort.
As the game wore on, the USMNT began to create more opportunities. Freese produced a stunning late save to deny Oh Hyeon-Gyu's header, keeping the scoreline respectable. However, Jo Hyeon-Woo proved to be an impenetrable barrier, making an incredible double-save to thwart Folarin Balogun, who then rattled the crossbar with his third attempt in quick succession. These late chances highlighted the USMNT's persistence but also their lack of clinical finishing on the day.
Data Debrief: Son stars in stellar first-half performance
The match was particularly significant for Mauricio Pochettino, who knows Son well from their time together at Tottenham. The South Korean captain's performance was a testament to his quality and a frustrating experience for his former coach. Son became only the third player in the last decade to record a goal and an assist in the first half of a match against the Stars and Stripes, joining the ranks of Lionel Messi and Johan Manzambi.
Despite the defeat, the USA can take some encouragement from their attacking output. They generated 2.23 expected goals (xG) from their 17 attempts, suggesting that they created enough chances to score. However, South Korea's clinical finishing proved to be the difference, as they scored with half of their efforts on target, accumulating 0.74 xG from just five shots. This efficiency in front of goal highlighted South Korea's superiority on the day and the areas where the USMNT needs to improve.
The match served as a valuable learning experience for the USMNT, exposing their defensive vulnerabilities and highlighting the need for greater clinical finishing. As they look ahead to future competitions, they will need to address these issues and develop a more cohesive and effective team.
