South Korea beats Ecuador 2-0

Lee Seung-yeoul, right, celebrates with teammate Lee Chung-yong after scoring a goal during the South Korean national team's friendly game with Ecuador at Seoul's Sangam Stadium, Sunday. South Korea won the match 2-0. / Korea Times

Former 2002 World Cup Korea team boss Guss Hiddink said before that the new national squad would benefit from the combination of experienced and fresh younger members.

On Sunday, the Taeguk Warriors proved the Dutchman was right, as Young guns Lee Seung-yeoul and Lee Chung-yong exploited their presence on the pitch by scoring the goals that lifted South Korea to a 2-0 victory over Ecuador in a friendly at Seoul's Sangam Stadium.

Lee, one of the youngest members of the squad, unleashed a left-footer outside the box to give Korea the lead in the 73rd minute, followed by Lee's brilliant drive six minutes before time.

With the win, South Korea made it even with the Latin Americans, gaining revenge for a 2-1 loss in their first meeting in Houston, the United States, in June 1995.

Under Huh Jung-moo's leadership, South Korea has recorded 20-4-13 since December 2007. Before heading off to Japan on Saturday for a friendly with the Japanese team, he will shortlist the current 30-man squad to 26 members ― three sidelined as contingency additions.

The national team will them have two more tests against Belarus and Spain, before arriving in South Africa on June 5.

Facing the Ecuadorians, Huh Jung-moo, the 47th-ranked team's manager, put veteran Lee Dong-gook instead of an injured Park Chu-young to pair up with the less-experienced Yeom Ki-hun up front. He also placed team captain Park Ji-sung in the starting lineup against expectations the Manchester United star would be rested in the beginning.

Though Yeom and Kim Jae-sung posed threats to the South Americans with their ceaseless moving, Korea in general failed to impress the sell-out audience at Sangam.

The team's first chance came in the 29th minute with an overlapping Oh Beom-seok cross from the right, which found Yeom, whose shot was met by a fine save by Ecuadorian goalkeeper Marcelo Elizaga.

Then in the 37th, Yeom headed a Lee Dong-gook cross from the right into the woodwork.

Two minutes into the second half, midfielder Ki Sung-yueng's corner barely missed out on Lee Dong-gook's heading effort, and Kwak Tae-hwi's cross from the right in the next minute went wide open.

In the 59th minute, Kim Jae-sung intercepted a pass from Geovanny Nazareno and sent a low cross to the on-rushing Lee Dong-gook, whose sharp drive to the left was barely deflected by an outstretching Elizaga.

Korea also fell for a couple of counterattacks from Ecuador ― Hwang Jae-won's failed clearance could have led to a dangerous moment, right before Kwak managed to make it safe with a tackle. Two minutes later, a long Ulises de la Cruz cross gave Edison Preciado a one-on-one chance up front, but Korean goalie Jung Sung-ryong saved with ease.

Korea's continued attacking finally paid off in the 73th minute, after Yeom sent a reverse-heading pass in front of Lee Seung-yeoul.

Lee, the 21-year-old FC Seoul striker, beat a defending Marcelo Fleitas and shot a left-footed drive into the right corner of the net for his third goal in six A-matches.

The Korean blitz didn't subside and Lee Chung-yong of Bolton Wanderers, who picked up a pass from Kim Bo-kyung, scored the team's second by netting a rebound off Elizaga.

The only thing that might worry the manager Huh came in the last minutes of the game, when Kim Jae-sung was sidelined after Pedro Quinonez brought the lively midfielder down, which earned him a yellow card.

By Yoon Chul
Staff reporter
Credits :Koreatimes