It was four years ago at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland, and the scent of Lee Kang-in (Mallorca) is in the air. This is the story of Lee Seung-won (Gangwon FC), the captain of the U-20 national team coached by Kim Eun-jung.
Lee set a first at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. He scored his fourth assist of the tournament in the quarterfinals against Nigeria. He tied Lee Kang-in (2 goals, 4 assists) for the most assists by a South Korean player at the tournament four years ago in Poland.
He assisted on Choi Seok-hyun’s header in the fifth minute of overtime. With the score tied at 0-0 in the fifth minute of the first half of extra time, Lee sent a precise kick toward an onrushing Choi Seok-hyun, and the ball deflected off his head and into the far corner of the Nigerian goal.
If Lee Kang-in was left-footed, Lee Seung-won was right-footed. Four of South Korea’s eight goals in the tournament have come from set pieces, all from Lee.
Lee also assisted on the game-winning goal against Ecuador in the Round of 16. In the third minute of the second half, with the score 2-1, Lee connected with a powerful header from a corner kick by Choi Seok-hyun.
Lee also had two assists in the group stage. He assisted Lee Young-joon’s header from a free kick in the first group game against France, and in the second group game against Honduras, he assisted Park Seung-ho’s (Incheon United) header from a corner kick with the score tied at 1-2.
South Korea advanced to the semifinals with three wins and two draws without a loss. This is the first time the South Korean men’s and women’s national teams have won three and drawn two of their five matches in a FIFA-organized tournament since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup quarterfinal penalty shootout victory over Spain. Kim Eun-joong-ho tied the record for most points in a match.
South Korea will now face Italy on Sept. 9 for a spot in the final.메이저놀이터