Asian Cup Round of 16 Match: Two First-Half South Korean Goals Overcome Thailand in Round of 16

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020.

Asian Cup Round of 16 Match: South Korea v Thailand

Two First-Half South Korean Goals Overcome Thailand in Round of 16 Match

January 17th, 2020

South Korea 2 Thailand 0

 

South Korea scored twice in the first half to set up a win over Thailand and enter the Quarter Final stage of the 2020 Asian Cup.

 

South Korea made minor changes to their starting eleven to ensure the Thai coach had no awareness of their tactics, while Thailand made more significant adjustments to their line-up.

 

Teerasil Dangda had the first attempt on goal, though it was fairly weak.

 

Instead, it was Son Heung-Min who set up Nam Tae-Hee, easing around his marking man and shooting with his right from close range to open the scoring.

 

Son Heung-Min then hit the woodwork, before in a later play sliding in low and scoring a goal.

 

In the Thai fightback, Dangda had a second chance parried away. Manuel Bihr then won a free kick after being knocked to the ground while crossing in the ball from the right wing.

 

In the second half, Ju Se-Jong had a chance running in from the right wing, only to hit the outside of the netting, not the inside.

 

Substitute Hwang Heechan had two minor attempts, only to be thwarted on both occasions. Heechan had one last effort in additional time, only to miss to the left. In the end, the two goals were enough to send South Korea through to the Quarter Finals to face Japan. Thailand, though, will feel the pinch at not being competitive enough against their opponents and must dust themselves off to tackle the Nations League later in the year, facing Lebanon in their first encounter.

 

Important aspects of the match:

South Korea’s best: Hwang In-beom in central midfield with an assist and most passes completed, as well as most tackles for the match and four intercepts; Son Heung-Min with the goal and assist and most dribbles; Kim Seung-Gyu in goals with four saves.

Nam Tae-Hee with three shots on target.

 

Thailand’s best: Kawin Thammasatchanon in goals with six saves; Pokklaw Anan coming off the bench with three key intercepts and a clearance; Tristan Do at right back with most passes and equal most dribbles for Thailand; Sarach Yooyen at left back.

Eakkanit Punya with equal most dribbles for Thailand.

Tanaboon Kesarat with two key intercepts and two clearances.

Bihr with two key intercepts and two clearances.