South Korea defends its soccer pride in Asia. Japan was stunned.

Kim Eun-joong’s South Korea Under-20 team won 1-0 after extra time against Nigeria in the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 at the Santiago del Estero Stadium in Argentina on Friday (June 5). South Korea reached the quarterfinals for the second consecutive tournament, following their last appearance in Poland in 2019.

It wasn’t an easy game. South Korea was out-shot 32%-46% on the day. They were also out-shot 4-22. The numbers didn’t matter. The Koreans were focused, converting 메이저사이트 their one shot on target into a goal. Kim Eun-Joong-ho is the fifth South Korean to reach the quarterfinals of a men’s soccer tournament organized by FIFA, following the 1983 U-20 World Cup in Mexico, the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, the 2012 London Olympics and the 2019 U-20 World Cup in Poland.

South Korea will face Italy on Sept. 9 for a spot in the final. If they win, they will face the winner of the Uruguay-Israel match in the final.

Japanese media Nikkan Sports said, “South Korea is the only Asian country to reach the semifinals. It is their second consecutive quarterfinal appearance, following the 2019 tournament in Poland, where they finished as runners-up. Kim Eun-joong played for Sendai in the J-League during his playing days. He cried after the game, thanking his players and saying they will be the future of Korea. South Korea will face Italy in the quarterfinals, reports said.

Three Asian nations have reached the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Qatar in 1981 in Australia, Japan in 1999 in Nigeria, and South Korea in 2019 in Poland. None of them have yet tasted victory. Kim Eun-joong-ho is looking to make history in Asian soccer.