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South Korea 2-1 Portugal: Match report, player ratings, fan reaction & more

South Korea and Portugal played out their final group game of the 2022 World Cup on Friday.


Portugal headed into the game having picked up maximum points from their opening two group games.

As a result, Seleção das Quinas needed just one point to ensure they would top the group.

South Korea, meanwhile, needed to beat Portugal by two or more goals and hope for a draw in the other Group H tie.

Portugal took the lead inside five minutes on Friday. Pepe played a long ball to Diogo Dalot who worked his way inside before squaring to goalscorer Ricardo Horta.

South Korea then thought they had equalised after Son’s cross was stabbed home by Jin-Su Kim after 16 minutes but it was ruled out for offside.

The underdogs did find a leveller a further 10 minutes later, though, upon Kim Young-gwon slotting home from close range on the back of a dangerous whipped corner from the left.

Then, just when it appeared as though proceedings were set to peter out into a stalemate, the evening’s decisive moment was forthcoming.

Deep into injury time, with South Korea on their way out of the competition as Group H basement boys, Wolves hitman Hwang-hee Chan emerged from the bench to latch onto a piece of trademark brilliance from captain Son Heung-min.

From here, Hwang made no mistake with a pinpoint finish into the far corner, in the process sending his country through to the World Cup’s knockout rounds at the expense of Uruguay.

South Korea player ratings

  • GK: Seung-Gyu Kim - 7
  • RB: Moon-Hwan Kim - 6.5
  • CB: Kyung-Won Kwon - 6.5
  • CB: Young-Gwon Kim - 7
  • LB: Jin-Su Kim - 6
  • CDM: Woo-Young Jung - 7
  • CM: In-Beom Hwang - 6
  • CM: Kang-In Lee - 5.5
  • RW: Jae-Sung Lee - 6
  • ST: Gue-Sung Cho - 6.5
  • LW: Heung-min Son - 8

Substitutes: Hwang Hee-chan - 7, Jun-ho Son - 5.5, Ui-jo Hwang - N/A, Yu-min Cho - N/A

Portugal player ratings

  • GK: Diogo Costa - 6
  • RB: Diogo Dalot - 7
  • CB: Pepe - 6.5
  • CB: Antonio Silva - 5.5
  • LB: Joao Cancelo - 7
  • CDM: Ruben Neves - 6
  • CM: Matheus Nunes - 5.5
  • CM: Joao Mario - 6
  • RW: Vitinha - 6.5
  • ST: Cristiano Ronaldo - 4.5
  • LW: Ricardo Horta - 7

Substitutes: Joao Palhinha - 5.5, Andre Silva - 5.5, Rafael Leao - 5, William Carvalho - N/A, Bernardo Silva - N/A


Key stats

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Josh Barker

Josh Barker

Middlesbrough fan from the North East of England. @JoshBarker979 on Twitter.


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