Captain Son Heung-min of LAFC go try challenge South Korea all-time men A-match goal record when South Korea face Uruguay for friendly match on 28th, 8 p.m., inside Seoul World Cup Stadium. The game na part of Hana Bank Invitation Football National Team Series, and head coach Robert Moreno dey lead South Korea.
Son Heung-min don score 57 goals in 148 A matches. He just one goal away from legend Cha Bum-keun, wey get 58 goals in 136 A matches and na the man wey score pass before. Son break Cha Bum-keun record for most A matches in October last year, and now e dey chase another record about one year later. If e score more than one goal, e go stand alone on top of the scoring list and add another Korean football milestone.
Before match, South Korea starting lineup show say Moreno go use 4-4-2 again. For front, Son Heung-min and Oh Hyun-gyu of Besiktas go start. Midfield get Kim Bong-soo of Daejeon Hana Citizen, Lee Kang-in of Atletico Madrid, Hwang Hee-chan of Schalke 04, and Lee Jae-sung of Mainz. Defence na Seol Young-woo of Augsburg, Lee Tae-seok of Ostrava, Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, and Lee Han-beom of Club Brugge. Goalkeeper na Kim Seung-gyu of FC Tokyo.
All eyes dey on captain Son. He start for previous match against Ecuador and score. For 13th minute of second half, with South Korea leading 1-0, e convert free kick wey dem award near left side of penalty box into shot wey enter net. The position no easy, but e use im signature strength score, then do im trademark click celebration.
With that goal, Son A-match record stand at 57 goals in 148 appearances. Now, just one more goal needed to reach another historic milestone for South Korean men football. If Son score against Uruguay, e go join former national team coach Cha Bum-kun with 58 A-match goals and claim joint first place on South Korea all-time men A-match scoring list.
There plenty attention on record, but Son Heung-min no dey rush. After match against Ecuador, e talk say, ‘I always grateful to play for national team. I always try to play humbly. I also get conversation with director. I think records follow naturally.’ E add say, ‘I able do well because coach dey treat me comfortable and my colleagues dey help me plenty. No be because I do well, but because of my colleagues, the coaches and coaches wey don pass so far. I go prepare hard again.’
Even if Son Heung-min no talk for match against Uruguay, e still get more opportunities. Moreno schedule go extend to Venezuela on October 2 and Uzbekistan on 6th.
National team also want winning streak. Moreno make im debut as head coach for Ecuador match. That time, South Korea beat Ecuador 3-0 with consecutive goals from Oh Hyun-gyu, Son Heung-min, and Lee Dong-gyeong. The 4-4-2 tactic wey dem announce when dem appoint am start from first match. With Son Heung-min and Oh Hyun-gyu as striking duo, South Korea play attacking football and secure decisive three-goal victory for im debut game. Now dem determine to secure another win against Uruguay, another South American powerhouse.
Uruguay, temporarily led by interim coach Diego Forlán, lose 3-1 to Japan for friendly match on 24th. But dem fight hard and hold 1-1 draw until late for game. Against South Korea today, Uruguay go start with forwards Darwin Nunez of Al-Hilal; midfielders Maximiliano Araujo of Sporting CP, Brian Rodriguez of Club America, Lucas Torreira of Galatasaray, Giorgian de Arrascaeta of Flamengo, and Rodrigo Bentancur of Tottenham. Defenders Joaquin Piquerez of Palmeiras, Matias Olivera of Napoli, Guillermo Varela of Flamengo, and Ronald Araujo of Liverpool, plus goalkeeper Christopher Martinez of Atletico Bucaramanga, also dey starting lineup.
