Overview

• Son Heung-min scored in the 18th minute and set up Lee Dong-gyeong’s 43rd-minute strike, reaching 52 international goals and closing within six of Cha Bum-kun’s South Korea record.
• Defensive breakdowns proved costly for the United States, with debutant center back Tristan Blackmon involved in the sequences that led to both first-half goals.
• Goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo preserved Korea’s clean sheet with key late saves, denying Chris Richards and twice stopping Folarin Balogun, with the crossbar also intervening.
• A largely pro-Korea crowd of about 26,500 in Harrison made the U.S. home friendly feel like a road match for the hosts.
• Pochettino contended the U.S. “were better than South Korea,” yet the team is winless in recent tests against top-25 opponents and recorded its sixth home loss of 2025, with Japan up next on Tuesday in Columbus.