◤International Friendly◢ Son Heung-min scores with a direct free-kick as South Korea defeated Uzbekistan by 2-0..

South Korea defeated Uzbekistan 2-0 in an international friendly match held on Tuesday at the Yongin Mireu Stadium, Gyeonggi Province.

In the first half, South Korean captain Son Heung-min scored a beautiful free-kick, while a strike by Khamdamov from a one-on-one opportunity was parried away and then cleared off the line. In the second half, two half-volley follow-up shots from Uzbekistan players were brilliantly saved, and Oh Se-hun found the net with a header. Ultimately, South Korea secured a 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan, snapping a two-game winless streak.

First Half

In the 4th minute, Hwang Hee-chan passes horizontally from the left wing. Son Heung-min quickly followed up, got the ball and took a few steps before taking a right-footed long shot from just outside of the penalty area. His shot struck Jahongir Urozov on the cheek and ricocheted onto his right hand. The referee immediately blew his whistle and awarded South Korea a deadly free-kick opportunity.

Son Heung-min stepped up to take the set-piece himself, firing a right-footed shot directly which flew straight into the bottom right corner of the net past Abduvohid Nematov. South Korea broke the deadlock first to take a early 1-0 lead. With this goal, the former Tottenham Hotspur star surpassed the record held by legend Cha Bum-kun (58 goals) to become the Taegeuk Warriors' all-time leading top scorer (59 goals)!

12 minutes later, Akmal Mozgovoy played a low diagonal through ball from the left wing. After successfully beating the offside trap, Dostonbek Khamdamov quickly followed up, got the ball, and dribbled into the left side of the box for a one-on-one opportunity before striking the ball with his left footed against the outrushing Jo Hyeon-woo. The latter managed to get a touch on the ball before Cho Hyun-taek cleared it off the line. Uzbekistan thus missed a golden opportunity to equalize! 

In the 31st minute, Oh Se-hun passes horizontally from the center of the box. Cho Hyun-taek quickly followed up, got the ball and took a few steps before volleying with his left foot from a difficult angle near the byline at the left side of the box, but his shot was saved by Nematov.

4 minutes later, Mozgovoy made a straight pass from the left wing. Khamdamov quickly followed up, got the ball and  took a few steps before striking the ball with his left foot from a very close distance in the box, but his shot was saved by Jo Hyeon-woo.

In the second minute of first-half stoppage time, South Korea earned a free-kick opportunity. Son Heung-min took the free kick by striking the ball directly with his right foot from outside the penalty area, but his shot was held onto by Nematov.

At the end of the first half, South Korea temporarily led Uzbekistan 1-0 heading into the break.

Second Half

Both teams switched sides as the match continued. In the 48th minute, South Korea earned a free-kick opportunity. Son Heung-min took the free kick by striking the ball directly with his right foot from outside the penalty area, but his shot was spectacularly saved by Nematov.

5 minutes later, Cho Hyun-taek crossed into the box from the left wing. Oh Se-hun rose high and attempted with a header in the box, however his effort went just over the crossbar.

In the 57th minute, Uzbekistan won a free-kick opportunity. Abbosbek Fayzullaev took the free kick by by crossing it into the box from outside the penalty area. After the ball was blocked by several South Korean defenders, a scramble ensued. Upon picking up the loose ball, Akmal Mozgovoy took a right-footed half-volley from the center of the box, but his shot was spectacularly saved by Jo Hyeon-woo. 

Shortly thereafter, Behruz Karimov crossed into the box from the wing. His pass was initially headed and cleared off not far away by Cho Hyun-taek. Odiljon Hamrobekov quickly followed up, and upon picking up the loose ball, took a right-footed half-volley from just outside of the penalty area, but his shot was spectacularly saved by Jo Hyeon-woo.

In the 60th minute, Song Min-kyu crossed from the byline at the right side of the box. Oh Se-hun rose high and then scored with a header in the box, extending South Korea's lead to 2–0. The Shimizu S-Pulse forward thus ended a two-year national team goal drought!

17 minutes later, Karimov crossed into the box from the right. Upon receiving the pass, Ruslanbek Jiyanov volleyed with his right foot from a very close distance in the box. His shot was initially headed and cleared off not far away by Kim Tae-hyeon. Upon picking up the loose ball, Khusain Norchaev took a right-footed  follow-up shot from the right side of the box, but his shot hit the side netting.

When the final whistle is blown, South Korea defeated Uzbekistan by 2–0.

Image source: Internet / AFP